Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz was joined by other county officials on Friday to provide critical updates on the lake effect storm.
The National Weather Service has issued a lake effect storm warning for Erie, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegheny, Wyoming and Genesee counties. These warnings are anticipated to stay in effect until 7 a.m. EST on Monday.
"There will be blizzard like conditions. This is not a blizzard. It won't qualify for a blizzard because of the winds, but when the winds do pick up, and they will pick up to over 30 miles an hour at times, you will have whiteouts. You will have blizzard like conditions. Major impacts will be in most of the rest of Southern and Central Erie County, in extreme and major impact areas, travel will be dangerous or nearly impossible," stated Poloncarz.
The Towns Brant, Evans, Eden, Hamburg, and a portion of Orchard Park are expected to receive, at least, 3-to-4 feet of snow by Monday morning.
Poloncarz adds despite the snow, the Buffalo Bills have not given any indication that Sunday's football game will be postponed.
"We do expect the heaviest snows to have stopped by the time of game time on Sunday night. However, it is possible in the the most likely scenarios will be 20-to-30 inches of snow that will have fallen at the football stadium by game time, with most of it actually falling probably before 3 or 4 o'clock on Sunday. This is going to be concerning for people trying to travel to the football game," stated Poloncarz.
A Code Blue is in effect for the City of Buffalo and Erie County, which is set to be lifted at the same time as the lake effect storm warnings. Code-Blue provides outreach, transportation, shelter, food to anyone experiencing homelessness or a housing emergency when temperatures or wind chill falls to 32 degrees or below.
Related
