weather

More than a foot of snow and heavy winds are headed toward Genesee County, according to the National Weather Service.

A winter weather watch is in effect from Tuesday evening through Wednesday evening.

The storm, which will primarily hit the northern part of the county, is expected to produce 8 to 16 inches of snow with winds up to 30 mph.

Visibility will be down to a quarter of a mile.

Drifting snow and low visibility are expected to make driving conditions particularly hazardous.

While the current temperature in Batavia is hovering around zero, it is expected to warm to a balmy 20 degrees later today.

Meanwhile, City Fire Chief Jim Maxwell sent along these cold weather safety tips.

With the temperatures dipping to lows not seen for the past several years, a few simple reminders on cold weather safety may be in order:

Cold weather can be hazardous, so take steps to dress properly if you are venturing outside. The American Red Cross issued these reminders:

• Limit your time outside, dress in layers, wear gloves or mittens, and wear a hat that covers your ears. Wear waterproof boots and keep your clothes dry.
• Do not leave pets outside for extended periods.
• Check on vulnerable neighbors, especially elderly people living alone, people with disabilities and others who may require special assistance.
• If using a space heater, don't overload electrical outlets and keep the heater at least 3 feet from materials such as curtains, furniture and bedding. Never leave space heaters unattended.
• Never leave a fire burning unattended in a fireplace. Be sure the chimney is regularly cleaned and inspected.
• If your furnace vents through walls rather than the chimney, make sure the air intake and exhaust are not blocked by snow. Blocked vents can cause carbon monoxide to build up inside the home.
• Check on pipes that may be prone to freezing. If sink pipes run through enclosed cabinets, try opening the cabinet doors to let warm air circulate around pipes. A slow trickle of water in pipes helps reduce the risk of freezing. Consider wrapping pipes that are exposed to the cold.
• Keep your car's gas tank full, which will help prevent the fuel line from freezing.

The following is an Extreme Cold Safety pamphlet from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/pdf/cold_guide.pdf

Car Safety Tips: http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/beforestorm/preparecar.asp

Be sure to have, at a minimum, one functioning Smoke Alarm and one Carbon Monoxide Detector.

You Can Prevent Carbon Monoxide Exposure:

• Do have your heating system, water heater and any other gas, oil or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.
• Do install a battery-operated CO detector in your home and check or replace the battery when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall. If the detector sounds, leave your home immediately and call 9-1-1.
• Do seek prompt medical attention if you suspect CO poisoning and are feeling dizzy, light-headed or nauseous.
• Don't use a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove, or other gasoline- or charcoal-burning device inside your home, basement, garage or near a window.
• Don't run a car or truck inside a garage attached to your house, even if you leave the door open.
• Don't burn anything in a stove or fireplace that isn't vented.
• Don't heat your house with a gas oven.

This is the temperature reading from my truck when I returned home from the office at 8:45 p.m.

This is the first time in the four years that I've owned the truck that I've seen a negative reading.

Tomorrow, the anticipated high is 20 with a 60 percent chance of snow in the afternoon and 80 percent chance at night.

This is the view of the Tonawanda Creek behind the court house at about 3 p.m.

The weather advisory is lifted.  There is about a 40-percent chance of snow showers tonight.

Be prepared for slick roads today.

Freezing drizzle and light snow are likely to keep road salt crews busy.

The National Weather Service issued a weather advisory for cold, damp weather until 4 p.m.

Accumulation of snow is expected to be only trace amounts, but this will make for slippery roads where they haven't been treated.

It's been a beautiful day, even if a bit cold -- my truck's thermostat read 8 degrees this morning. Too much work to do today to get out and shoot a lot of pictures, but still taking advantage of the nice sky.

Above the white barn of Partridge Farm on Ellicott Street Road and below, the cement plant of Bonsal American on Cedar Street.

Weather through tonight, cloudy, with a chance of snow overnight. Tomorrow, warming considerably (into the 30s) with an 80-percent chance of rain, and then back to snow on Thursday.

We've had pretty steady snowfall today, but nothing to the level that would warrant the National Weather Service to put out an alert or an advisory. Intermittent snow showers are expected to continue into the evening.

The weather seems to have contributed to a number of fender-benders this afternoon.

I went out to Le Roy today and on the route back, I came down Randall Road.

Overnight snow brough a few inches of accumulation and this morning Dan, a county worker, was out shoveling Ellicott Street sidewalks.

The snow, with an accumulation of one to three inches, is expected to continue until 5 p.m.

Temperatures are in the high teens.

Due to anticipated poor weather conditions, this evening's "Growing Gillam Grant" presentation has been postponed.

Additional presentations are scheduled for: 

• 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25
• 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 10
• 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 2

If you have any questions, or if you'd like to reserve a spot at one of the above presentations, please call Gillam Grant at 494-1621.

If The Batavian receive's notice of any other cancellations for tonight, we'll add them to this post, or readers can include cancellations in comments.

From three to six inches of snow will accumulate in parts of Western New York, including Genesee County, as a storm hits the region later this afternoon.

The National Weather Services has issued a winter weather advisory for 4 p.m. today through 5 p.m. tomorrow.

Snowfall over night will likely hinder the Wednesday morning commute, the NWS warns.

At times, in moderate snowfall, visibility will be about a half mile.

A lake effect snow statement was issued for Genesee County this morning and into the early afternoon.

From 1-3 inches of snow are expected, with the heaviest snow coming in the western parts of the county.

If you haven't done so, look out your window. It's snowing. One of those pretty snow showers -- not too heavy, big fluffy flakes.

This looks like it will last until 1:30, maybe 2 p.m., then winds of about 20 mph pick up.

There's some chance of snow through tomorrow, but no major storm fronts predicted -- yet.

The National Weather Service has issued a weather advisory warning that freezing rain and iced-over roads can be expected in Genesee County until 5 a.m.

NWS warns that roadways that appear to be just wet can in fact be covered in slick ice.

Some light snow is also expected.

Accumulation will be trace to a few hundredths of an inch.

A deputy reports that Galloway and Kelsey roads are "just sheets of ice."

So, be careful out there.

This was the view behind the courthouse late this morning at the Tonawanda Creek Falls.

As for the weather forecast: Nothing unusual predicted -- some scattered snow showers and more cold.

Batavia was hit with a good bit of snow from about 6 to 8 p.m. Above, St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church on Ellicott Street, Batavia, during the storm.

The lake effect storm warning remains in effect until 6 a.m., but the radar map shows the heaviest bands hovering to the west of Genesee County.

The hourly forecast for Thursday has partial clearing around noon, but then more snow in the mid-afternoon.

Some bands of lake effect snow could drop as much as 18 inches of snow on some parts of Western New York between now and 6 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.

The primary areas for the warning are Orleans and Genesee counties.

Winds are expected to hit 15 to 25 mph. Gusts will be up to 35 mph.

Visibility will be reduced to less than a quarter of a mile at times in some places.

NWS warns of difficult travel conditions during the storm.

Freezing rain and icy roads are being predicted for Genesee County by the National Weather Service.

The winter weather advisory goes into effect at 6 p.m.

While the weather service describes the amount of freezing rain as "spotty" and accumulation as only "trace," it does warn of slick roads and walkways.

There will be less snow today, and at midday even a little sun.

In the Pembroke area between now and 9 a.m., a narrow band of lake effect snow may drop an inch or two of snow.

There's about a 30-percent chance of snow after 3 p.m.

Winds will be about 15 mph, decreasing to under 10 mph overnight.

There's a chance of snow showers and flurries tonight and tomorrow.

The National Weather Service says some lake effect snow should hit Genesee County between now and 7 p.m.

The chance of snow this afternoon is about 80 percent.

There's some chance of snow tomorrow, and it should be partly cloudy on Thursday.

Photo: Kibbe Park mid-morning today.