Amid the busy schedule, the first major blizzard of the season hit parts of New York, Pennsylvania and Michigan over the weekend post thanksgiving trip And a discount shopping spree. Forecasters expect very cold temperatures and heavy snowfall to continue into the beginning of the week and potentially pose a threat to travelers in the Great Lakes, Plains and Midwest.
The snow storm led to emergency declarations in parts of New York and a disaster declaration in Pennsylvania, with officials warning of dangerous conditions for Thanksgiving travelers returning home.
The blast of arctic air dropped temperatures 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit below average across the northern plains, prompting a freeze advisory for parts of North Dakota, the weather service said. Cold air was expected to blow across the eastern half of the US through Monday, with temperatures about 10 degrees below average.
Nearly 2 feet of snow fell in parts of New York, Ohio and Michigan, and 29 inches of snow was recorded in the northwestern tip of Pennsylvania. As of 7 a.m. ET Saturday, the weather service in Buffalo informed Towns and villages around Lake Ontario and Lake Erie had already received anywhere from a foot to 18 inches of snow, with one location near the Pennsylvania border recording 24 inches of snow. Forecasters said more snow had accumulated across the region by the afternoon.
There was going to be more snow on Sunday, According The weather service warned that areas east of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario could potentially get a foot or two of snow. In Jefferson County, the forecast showed 3-4 inches of snowfall per hour would continue throughout the day.
Snow is forecast again Sunday in Cleveland, and weather service meteorologists in the Ohio city said they expect 6 to 18 inches of new snow By Tuesday, an area stretching from there to the Pennsylvania-New York state line is expected to converge.
The National Weather Service said Sunday that “travel may be difficult to impossible” in areas where snow is forecast to continue into the beginning of the week.
“The intensity of the snow will increase today and will gradually spread across much of the south side of the primary snow belt,” the weather service in Cleveland said Sunday morning. Forecasters reported that snowfall would continue at times through Tuesday morning, although the heaviest snowfall was expected on Sunday as they predicted snowfall of more than an inch per hour in both Ohio and Pennsylvania.
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In an alert Saturday afternoon, the weather service said that “heavy snow is expected across Lakes Erie and Ontario, bringing snow to parts of northeastern Ohio, far northwestern Pennsylvania, western New York state and northwestern New York state.” Will be affected.”
In a phone interview Saturday with WWNY-TV, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul told The Associated Press that the state prepared for the storm for days by deploying snowplows and thousands of workers and consulting with utility providers. He also sent personnel from other parts of the state to assist.
She said, “I know this is something they are all used to and they can handle it, but I want to let them know that we are there with additional security forces and want to make sure that everyone is safe.” “, especially during this busy holiday weekend.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed a disaster emergency proclamation and said parts of Erie County in the northwest got about 2 feet of snowfall and more snowfall was expected through Monday night.
Pennsylvania State Police responded to nearly 200 incidents during a 24-hour period from 6 a.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday, officials said. Authorities closed portions of I-90 in Pennsylvania and the westbound lanes of the New York Thruway heading into Pennsylvania.
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The city of Erie, Pennsylvania, said travel was limited to emergency responders and essential workers and cases of medical emergency until further notice. Due to snow and slippery conditions, vehicles got stuck at intersections and roads, causing traffic jams. Residents were urged to shelter in place and allow crews to clear neighborhoods.
With parts of some roads in northwestern Pennsylvania impassable, many travelers took shelter in the lobby and hallway of a Holiday Inn near I-90. Hotel employee Jeremiah Weatherly said staff opened up the conference room and gave them blankets.
“They just came in and we don't want to turn people away,” he said.
In Buffalo, NFL Bills officials demanded snow removal machines in the stadium for the season, including before Sunday night's game against the San Francisco 49ers. The team said it would pay $20 an hour and provide food and hot beverages.
Parts of Michigan were affected by lake-effect snowfall, which occurs when warm, moist air rising from a body of water combines with cold dry air above. Sheets of ice rolling off Lake Superior buried parts of the Upper Peninsula by 2 feet (61 centimeters) or more, said Lily Chapman, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Marquette, Michigan.
Western areas of the Upper Peninsula had 27 inches of snow northeast of Ironwood and 2 feet of snow in Munising in the eastern region, he said.
Lake effect snow could add more than a foot on the eastern Upper Peninsula by Monday morning and 6 to 10 inches or more in the west, Chapman said.
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Gaylord, Michigan, received 24.8 inches of snowfall Friday, setting a new one-day record for the town in an area with ski resorts, said Keith Berger of the weather service's Gaylord office. The previous record of 17 inches was set on March 9, 1942.
The snowfall was good news for Treetops Resort, which has 80 acres of ski hill terrain amid 2,000 acres. Recreation Director Doug Hoh said that bolstered the premise that snowmaking machines would be increased before the resort's season opening next weekend.
“Obviously when you get this much snowfall, it's great for snowy mountains, but it's bad for parking lots, so we're kind of digging out,” Hoeh said.