By Orlando Mayorquín, Kate Selig and Isabelle Taft
Lake-effect snow blowing in from the Great Lakes has covered areas in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York, leaving hundreds of vehicles abandoned on highways and complicating travel plans for millions post-Thanksgiving.
Meteorologists predict the storm will continue to affect the region throughout the week, posing a significant concern for Sunday, a peak travel day as individuals aim to return home after the holiday. Many areas have already recorded over 2 feet of snow, with some communities exceeding 3 feet as of Sunday morning.
“It’s going to be quite severe,” Brian Hurley, a senior meteorologist at the National Weather Service, commented Saturday.
Certain locations might experience up to 6 feet of snow by Tuesday, with the most substantial accumulations anticipated along the southern shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario in both Pennsylvania and New York. The governors of these states have issued disaster declarations in the affected areas and mobilized National Guard troops.
There have been reports of minor injuries, with no fatalities associated with the storm thus far.
Here’s what we know about the lake-effect snowstorm.
Where has the heaviest snow fallen?
To date, the eastern Great Lakes region, covering about a 160-mile stretch of Interstate 90 from northeast Ohio to Buffalo, New York, and northern Michigan has seen the heaviest snowfall.
Several communities in New York have reported more than 40 inches of snow. The village of Copenhagen, located in the town of Denmark about an hour north of Syracuse, was hit with 46 inches, as stated by the weather service. (Both the village and town were named after their counterparts in northern Europe.) Nearby West Carthage, a village of roughly 2,000 residents, measured 41 inches.
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula experienced record-breaking snowfalls on Friday. The resort town of Gaylord received over 2 feet, setting a new daily record exceeding the previous mark of 17 inches established in 1942, according to the weather service.
By Sunday morning, at least another 2 feet of snow had fallen in parts of the Upper Peninsula, with an additional 10 inches anticipated that day, forecasters noted.
However, on Sunday, the focal point of the snow—with up to a foot and a half anticipated—will be Watertown, New York, a city of about 25,000 on Lake Ontario’s eastern shore. Mayor Sarah Pierce of Watertown canceled city events on Saturday and announced an “all hands on deck” approach across city departments to manage the situation.
Are there road closures? What about airports?
The snow has caused significant disruptions for travelers, leading to road closures and commercial vehicle bans on sections of Interstate 90 in New York near the Pennsylvania border from Friday through Sunday.
Authorities urged drivers to remain at home. The weather service in Cleveland warned about whiteout conditions that could render travel “hazardous and potentially life-threatening.”
Lake-effect snow is particularly perilous for motorists as conditions can change swiftly—clear weather in one area may coexist with heavy snow and poor visibility just a short distance away.
Hundreds of vehicles have been stranded on the roads, Erie County Executive Brenton Davis reported Saturday. Some drivers slept in their cars at nearby gas stations to wait for the treacherous conditions to improve on Friday night. One woman traveling from Buffalo to her home in Columbus, Ohio, found her journey extended to over 24 hours after being trapped on the highway for lengthy periods.
When is it expected to cease?
Meteorologists anticipate the lake-effect snow will persist at least until Tuesday, although the storm’s intensity is expected to decrease by that time.
“Over the next 72 hours, we are still expecting several more feet, possibly 3 to even 4 additional feet,” Hurley stated Saturday evening.
Regions surrounding Lake Erie in Pennsylvania and New York may accumulate another 2 or 3 feet of snow, he added. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula could receive an extra 2 feet, and northeastern Ohio is predicted to see another 12 to 18 inches by Tuesday. Buffalo could experience up to 20 inches through Sunday.
A shift in airflow is anticipated to push snow into central New York beginning Sunday evening, bringing 3 to 6 inches to the Syracuse area.
These changing conditions may only provide a short pause, as forecasters warn that more lake-effect snow could return later in the week.
What is causing this storm, and when did it begin?
The lake-effect storm, which initiated on Thursday, resulted from prevailing winds shifting cold air over the comparatively warm waters of the Great Lakes. This type of storm typically picks up moisture from the lakes and deposits it over colder land, leading to substantial snowfall.
Lake-effect snow is common in the Great Lakes area during this season, Hurley noted, as water temperatures remain as warm as they will be for the remainder of the year.
How else has the storm impacted communities?
In addition to travel disruptions, the snowstorm disrupted plans for those who remained in place. Schools announced snow days for Monday. Religious services were called off, and numerous businesses were shut down. Local events, such as one in Erie that was intended to showcase local vendors, restaurants, and museums, were postponed.
