national weather service

Press Release:

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for Genesee County and portions of western and north-central New York. An arctic airmass is forecast to move into the region starting Sunday (January 19) and lasting through the middle of next week.

Key Weather Concerns:

• Bitter Cold Temperatures: At times, temperatures may plunge to 10 to 20 degrees below zero in lower elevations and 20 to 30 degrees below zero in higher terrain.
• Lake Effect Snow: Accumulating lake effect snow is likely east of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario from Sunday night or Monday through midweek.

Community Safety Guidance:

• Cold Weather Safety: Residents are urged to protect themselves and others during the extreme cold. The National Weather Service offers cold weather safety tips at www.weather.gov/safety/cold-outreach. 
• Vulnerable Populations: Check on vulnerable family, friends, and neighbors, including older adults, young children, and those with medical conditions. 
• Bring Pets Indoors: Keep pets inside during extreme cold weather if possible. 

Warming Resources:

• Public places and large local businesses may serve as temporary warming locations. 
• During business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding Monday, January 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day), contact the Genesee County Department of Social Services at (585) 344-2580 for assistance.
• For after-hours assistance, call the Genesee County Sheriff's Office at (585) 343-5000. 

Please prepare now to stay safe and warm during the incoming cold weather. Stay tuned to local news for the latest weather updates, and visit www.weather.gov/buf. 

Another lake effect snow warning has come around, to be in effect from 1 p.m. today through 7 p.m. Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

Heavy lake effect snow is expected, with total snow accumulations  of 1 to 3 feet in the most persistent lake snows, with the greatest amounts expected across central and northern Erie County. Lake band centered on Ski Country this afternoon, will slowly shift north through southern Erie and Wyoming counties tonight reaching the Buffalo Metro area by early Wednesday morning, where it will remain through the first half of Wednesday night.

Lake band will then shift back south of Buffalo later Wednesday night into Thursday morning, before shifting back north across the Buffalo Metro area Thursday afternoon and weakening. Winds gusting as high as 40 mph will result in areas of blowing and drifting snow, mainly Wednesday afternoon and evening.

Where: Erie, Genesee, and Wyoming counties.

Impacts: Travel could be very difficult to impossible. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commutes. The cold wind chills as low as 20 below zero Wednesday night could result in hypothermia if precautions are not taken.

Heavy snow will fall in relatively narrow bands. If traveling, be prepared for rapidly changing road conditions and visibilities.