It's a crisp, clear morning in Batavia with a temperature of 4 degrees.
Forecasters continue to call for a prolonged period of bitter cold with a mix of snow. Saturday, there's an 80-percent chance of a snow shower with temperatures rising to a balmy 24 degrees.
Photo: The O-AT-KA Milk plant.
Those of you who hate winter are really going to be unhappy over the next couple of weeks.
Forecasters foresee no real let up in the bitter cold and snow gripping the region.
There's a wind chill advisory in place now through 11 a.m. Wednesday with wind chill values as low as 20 degrees below zero.
Light snow continues to fall this evening.
There will be a slight, slight warming by the weekend, according to Buffalo forecasters, but another round of arctic chill will follow behind it and there's a chance for significant lake effect snow fall next week.
"Winter will be here to stay for quite some time," wrote a forecaster in his weather analysis today.
Photo: Looking east on Main Street about 4:30 p.m.
A winter weather advisory is in effect through 2 p.m. today with predictions of persistent light snow and temperatures dropping into the teens.
Snow accumulations could reach from 2 to 4 inches and low visibility while driving is possible in places.
The National Weather Service advises caution while traveling.
An area of light snow mixed with patchy freezing drizzle is creating the potential for black ice in some areas, according to the National Weather Service.
This could be a particular problem on bridges, overpasses and other elevated surfaces.
"Motorists should exercise caution during the morning commute as area roads may have a few slick spots," forecasters said.
Stegman Road between Miller Road and Route 5, Town of Batavia, is closed because of flooding.
Gusty winds and a quick downpour are expected late this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
A cold front pushing across far Western New York late this afternoon will be accompanied with a heavy 10-minute downpour.
This squall will push across Erie and Niagara counties, and any moment down will push across Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming counties -- 4:15 to 4:45 p.m.
This snowman on Walnut Street may have survived the Blizzard of 2014, but it's not likely to fair well Saturday when temperatures hit the high 40s and we get a bit of rain.
A flood watch remains in effect from 7 a.m. Saturday to 1 p.m., Sunday.
Photo submitted by Steve Ognibene.
A flood watch for the area has been issued by the National Weather Service. It's in effect from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon.
There's expected to be a significant warm up, climbing to near 50 degrees, with some rain on Saturday. The flood watch includes a portion of Western New York, including these counties: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming.
A period of steady rain along with significant snow melt from notably warmer weather will present the risk for ice jam flooding. Ice jams are already apparent on many area rivers and creeks. Once runoff increases on Saturday, the potential for flooding near these ice jams will increase.
The alert explains:
"High pressure over the lower Great Lakes will drift off the New England Coast tonight and Friday. The return flow around the departing fair weather system will circulate much warmer air northward from the Ohio Valley. The southerly flow will become enhanced Friday night and Saturday when a deepening storm will lift from the Southern Plains across the Upper Great Lakes. The very mild southerly flow will also include plenty of moisture. A cold front associated with the Great Lakes storm will sweep across New York State and interact with the enriched moisture supply to produce a period of steady rain.
"The combination of the steady rain along with temperatures that are forecast to climb to near 50 should result in significant runnoff with significant rises likely on area tributaries. Plenty of ice is also in place in the creeks...and the primary risk for flodding will be from ice jams. A flood watch is in effect from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon."
This was what was painted on a snow bank outside the home of Tim Walton (who sent in the picture).
Here's some day-after-the-big-storm pictures.
Above, City firefighters digging out a fire hydrant on Ellicott Street.
Sandy Stendts shoveling snow on South Main Street.
Greg Rada blowing snow on Lyons Street.
A city employee plowing a sidewalk on Oak Street.
Traffic on Oak Street. Streets remain covered with compacted snow (and some of it not so compacted).
Centennial Park.
The Rowell Mansion, Ellicott and Richmond.
Sheriff Gary Maha has lifted the travel ban for Genesee County effective at 7 a.m.
"Weather conditions have improved and winds have lessened," Maha said in a statement. "Visibility should not be a problem, however, many roads are snow covered and slippery. Caution is recommended when driving."
In case you haven't had enough snow yet, we're being told to expect another 4 to 7 inches today.
A lake effect snow advisory has been issued and is in effect until 7 p.m.
The blizzard warning is cancelled and the wind chill warning is cancelled.
Winds are expected to be 10 to 20 mph. Wind chill values will be as low as 14 below zero.
Travel conditions may be difficult at times.
Deputies are heading out to the various locations were truckers are parked to let them know that one lane of the Thruway is open in each direction in what one dispatcher called a "soft opening" of the I-90.
The goal is to start clearing truck traffic, especially in those areas, such as portions of Route 63 and Route 77, where truckers have parked to wait out the hazardous travel conditions.
A travel ban has been in effect all night for Genesee County and remains in effect at this hour. County officials are currently meeting at emergency operations center discussing the matter after sending road crews out to assess the situation.
No word yet on when the ban might be lift.
UPDATE 5:25 a.m.: A deputy reports Route 77 is now clear of truck traffic.
UPDATE 5:37 a.m.: Office Max, Home Depot and Target parking lots are now clear. Truckers at Walmart being notified next.
UPDATE 5:46 a.m.: The travel advisory for Wyoming County has been lifted.
UPDATE 5:51 a.m.: Walmart is clear. Kmart is next.
UPDATE 6:33 a.m.: Truck traffic for fuel going into Flying J is getting backed up on Route 77. A deputy says he's going to have to shut down truck traffic at Brickhouse Corners.
UPDATE 7:09 a.m.: Route 77 is being closed to all northbound traffic at Brickhouse Corners.
First, they ran out of room at the Flying J, then the Pembroke High School lot filled up, so deputies starting sending trucks to look for parking in Batavia.
The lots have filled up at Walmart, Home Depot and Target. Batavia Downs remains pretty open. Kmart has refused to allow truck parking.
No word on whether City Centre has been considered.
UPDATE 9:22 p.m.: While it's been reported several times by deputies that Kmart is out of bounds for truckers, a picture has been posted on Facebook showing, reportedly, truckers lined up in parking spaces at Kmart.
Normally, according to Peter Metzler, at Porter Farms, ewes start to lamb in March and April, so it came as quite a surprise today when this little one was found -- an unexpected newborn in the freezing cold, shivering by its mother. Jake Hillabush is holding the lamb to help warm it up shortly after it was found. The lamb was born sometime between morning and afternoon chores. Once the little one was warmed a bit, they put mom and baby in a small pen to bed down and stay warm in a pile of straw.
Officials are looking closely at weather patterns, not just the snow forecasts, but what the wind will do over the next several hours, as they contemplate the timing of removing a travel ban in Genesee County.
Best guess, the travel ban will be lifted some time in the morning.
Throughout the night, there's only a 30-percent chance of snow in Genesee County and by 3 a.m., winds will dip below 20 mph for the first time.
That's about the time additional plow crews will hit the roadways, said Tim Yaeger, emergency management coordinator for Genesee County.
"We're trying to coordinate everything now," Yaeger said. "With different municipalities, there's different capabilities for plowing the roads and we want to make sure all is clear and safe before we lift the travel ban. By sometime after midnight or by three o'clock we'll have a better idea. I'm hopeful we'll be able to get traffic moving in the morning.
Pembroke is still in really bad shape," Yaeger added. "The southern part of the county and Pembroke are in the worst shape."
While city streets are largely cleared of snow, Yaeger noted, "it's just a sheet of ice underneath."
With temperatures at or near zero, merely salting the roadways is largely ineffective.
The winds are the real problem though, because blowing and drifting snow create whiteout conditions and make plowing some roads pretty much futile. The snow drifts back over the surface minutes after the snow plow leaves the area.
"Things are improving," Yaeger said. "The winds are dying down, the snow is subsiding. If it keeps at it, hopefully we'll be in good shape in the morning."
Cory Coles, on Lincoln Avenue, said, "The cold can't keep me indoors."
The overturned milk truck on Route 20. Photo by Jeremiah Russell.
Photo by Sarah Sauka.
Photo by Sarah Sauka.
Dave Kurch, of Darien, said the wind is keeping his driveway clear.
Main Street, Corfu, by Shane Hale.
A picture from Mark on Seven Springs Road.
Photo by Stephanie Crandall.
Photo by Teresa Calkins.
Photo by Donna Carter, Alexander.
Photo by Sally Waldron, Bethany.
Photo by Sally Waldron, Bethany.
Routes 5 and 77, Corfu, by Brian Schollard.
The backyard of Anne Marie Starowitz, Chestnut Street.
Monique, on Lewiston Road, shot this picture through her back window. She said normally she can see Walmart from here.
Photo by Cara Grosshans.
Photo by Lisa Ace.
Regarding the Girls Basketball Rotary Tournament originally schedule to start tonight, the first round games will be played Thursday night.
The championship game will be held at 7 p.m., Saturday. The consolation game will be made up at another time.
Also, from the Village of Le Roy:
Normally scheduled garbage pick-up for Wednesday, January 8, 2014 will be RESCHEDULED to Thursday, January 9, 2014 due to weather.
Route 20 is reopened from the earlier accident. Traffic backed up for quite a distance, a deputy reports.
A deputy is giving one of the vehicle drivers a ride to Flying J.
Another deputy shared that he just learned the Batavia Downs parking lot is empty, so he's going to start sending some of the semi-truck drivers that have no place to park to that location.
"Some of them say say they need fuel. Unfortunately, I can't help them there."
UPDATE 5:22 p.m.: A deputy reports that Kmart is not permitting truckers to park in their empty lot. Approved parking lots are Walmart, Home Depot and Batavia Downs.
Also, we didn't catch a location, but a deputy was dispatched to check on two dogs that were left outside.
We've been struggling all morning with server issues. We just made some changes that look promising for making a difference.
About an hour ago, Pavilion fire responded to a basement fire at 10816 Cook Road, Pavilion. Le Roy fire responded mutual aid. There was a second alarm for tankers from Batavia and Stafford. The fire is now out.
We previously posted that there is a travel ban now in place for Genesee County. Details here.
The Thruway is closed in both directions through Genesee County.
There have been numerous reports of trucks and cars off roadways and minor vehicle accidents over the past two or three hours. There have been no serious injury accidents reported.
The folks at the Daily News asked that we help get the word out that there will be no newspaper delivery today due to weather conditions. Today's paper will be delivered tomorrow, with Wednesday's paper.
We will continue to monitor the scanner and provide updates for the duration of the storm, but we are also under the travel ban so I won't be able to go out to any breaking news situations.
So long as the server holds, we'll do our best to keep you updated on anything of interest we find out about.
If you have weather pictures to share, send them to howard@thebatavian.com. In focus, no camera shake, well exposed and sufficient resolution to publish (at least 460 pixels wide).
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