Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - There's one certainty with the approaching Christmas weekend storm in Buffalo and Western New York; people are scurrying to get things done, hunker down or get out of town.
A major winter storm is heading its way to Western New York, but not before it churns its way across parts of the country.
When the storm does make its presence known starting Thursday into Friday, it will bring with it some heavy winds, freezing cold temperatures and wind chills, as well as some lake effect snow that could cause some power outages and difficult travel conditions, especially with Christmas landing on Sunday.
The drastic change of weather conditions starting Friday morning has the National Weather Service posting Blizzard Warnings for most of Western New York.
According to the National Weather Service: "A rapid switch from rain to snow with sharply falling temperatures into the teens and single digits will result in a flash freeze on Friday. From Friday afternoon through most of the weekend, very strong winds, heavy lake effect snow and significant blowing and drifting snow will be possible. Winds could gust as high as 65 mph Friday into Friday night. Localized blizzard conditions are possible."
The initial forecasts for the holiday weekend are certainly putting Western New Yorkers on high notice.
"I would say bunker down and take cover," said Rochelle from Ellicottville, doing her holiday shopping on Wednesday ahead of the winter storm. "The wind's going to be really bad, so I would buckle up your houses and watch for a snowy Christmas this year."
"I think on Friday, it's gonna start getting windy and cold, and then a lot of snow on Saturday. So that's why I'm here now," said Lori from South Buffalo, shopping at the McKinley Mall with her mother. "I figured get it done before you-know-what hits the fan."
While Western New York is no stranger to inclement winter weather, a storm like the one making its way across the Midwest on Wednesday into Thursday is giving some local residents some pause this time around. Some Western New Yorkers are expressing more concern with this storm, especially with the winds expected to wreak havoc on the region.
"It's kind of concerning," said Drew from Niagara Falls, doing his shopping at the Boulevard Mall on Wednesday. "I do medical transportation for Catholic Health, so I'm all around Buffalo and the surrounding Southtowns and all over Western New York, to be honest. So yeah, it's pretty scary."
"I actually am going to stay indoors for the holidays," Rochelle added. "We can't finish shopping fast enough and get home, because the winds, the ice and the snow, you can't play with Mother Nature."
While the incoming storm is set to make its way to Buffalo on Thursday into Friday, it will first impact places like Chicago starting Thursday, creating some dangerous conditions with snow and wind.
As it turns out, the Buffalo Bills will be making their way to Chicago on Thursday - a day earlier than usual - as they get set to play the Bears on Saturday afternoon at Soldier Field. While forecasts are not calling for the extremely gusty winds and snow for the game on Saturday, it will be bone-chilling wind chills that could play a factor in the contest.
As the Bills get ready to leave for Chicago ahead of the elements arriving in town, so, too, are many members of "Bills Mafia" looking to cheer on their favorite football team on the road in the "Windy City".
"It's supposed to be pretty cold," said Bills fan Will from Buffalo, who's making final preparations before leaving for Chicago later in the week. "I hear that Chicago is 7-0 in those any temperature below 10 degrees or so, but I feel like the Bills are well-prepared for it. It's the wind that we're going to be worried about, so a pair of ski goggles. I think we're all going to be good to go. The 'Bills Mafia' is going to show up."
For those Bills fans making the trek to Chicago, at this point, it's all about having the trust in being able to get to Chicago on time and trying to mitigating the risks involved.
As some Bills fans may be looking to alter plans ahead of their trip to Chicago for Saturday's game, many local residents will be potentially altering or changing plans completely for the Christmas weekend. It may be an unfortunate situation where some families will have to cancel their originally planned get-togethers due to the potential conditions this storm will bring to the table.
"Things have already started getting altered due to the weather, so we're just gonna play it by ear," Drew said. "We'll see how Saturday comes, and then we'll see Christmas morning if we could get out."
"I think, especially those with the little kids, there's no sense in dragging them out to visit grandma and all of that if it's nasty," Lori said of altering plans.
With this round of winter weather making a beeline for Western New York right before Christmas, the incoming weather may be seen as a pain in the ass for some local residents. For someone like Drew, he certainly sees this as a nuisance right before the holidays.
"It could have came last week, it could have came the week after, but it's coming on Christmas weekend. There's nothing much we can really do about it, but enjoy it the best we can," he said.
For some local residents like Lori, some nasty weather for Christmas weekend is nothing that's not out of the ordinary from past years.
"I remember Christmases where it was so bad, we literally took a four-wheeler back home," she said. "We've been through this before, and we'll get through it again. I'm not nervous."
And for others like Will, while he will be in Chicago for the holidays this year, he knows that the winter weather is a staple for the Christmas season that many are hoping to have every year.
"Most people, especially Northerners - D.C. and up - are looking for that White Christmas or some kind of snowy weather, especially with the school getting out and everything. So I think it's perfect timing for it, honestly," he said.
