More than 40 inches of paralyzing lake-effect snow blankets the Great Lakes, Upstate NY

Buffalo, NY – Heavy amounts of snow continue to ravage cities along the eastern shores of the Great Lakes, as a record-breaking lake-effect blizzard sweeps through the region, causing major road closures and travel. Has been banned.

As of Sunday, there has been more than 3 feet of snowfall in Erie County in northwestern Pennsylvania and parts of western New York, south of Buffalo and down to Lake Ontario in northern New York, and earlier Additional snowfall of 1-2 feet is possible. The storm begins to subside.

With snow falling between 1 and 4 inches per hour, efforts to keep roads clear under the heaviest bands were greatly strained.

Interstate 90 was closed in both directions across Erie County, PennsylvaniaWhile neighborhoods in the northeast recorded more than 43 inches of rain by Sunday morning, other nearby cities recorded more than 3 feet of rain.

The I-90 closure extended to New York State, but Governor Kathy Hochul said late Saturday afternoon The westbound lanes from Exit 57 to the Pennsylvania state line were reopened to passenger traffic.

However, a commercial travel ban will remain in effect from Exit 46 to the Pennsylvania state line.

Interstate 86 was also closed near Erie, Pennsylvania and New York authorities Travel restrictions issued in DunkirkFredonia and Pomfret.

“We are working tirelessly to keep Route 5 open in the Dunkirk area, however, over 100 vehicles had to be pulled off Route 5 to make it possible for our plows to pass through.” New York State DOT officials posted on“That’s why we urge you to stay off the roads if you don’t have to travel!”

Fox Weather storm tracker Brandon Kopic said small passenger vehicles were also having difficulty getting through the snow and rescue efforts were underway.

“Honestly, it’s just chaos,” Kopic said Saturday. “Trucks are going on the roads they shouldn’t because the highways are closed, and that gets more cars stuck. “I spent 15 hours Friday night helping people… doing whatever I can to help people who are stranded.”

Kopic sent his drone over Pennsylvania’s State Route 5 near the New York border around noon Saturday to locate dozens of vehicles stuck in the snow.

“The gridlock is caused by trucks parked on the road,” Kopic said. He estimated that most of the vehicles were stuck there since Friday.

“I can say almost 100% for the fact that 95% of the vehicles in this lineup have been here for at least the last 18 hours,” he said Saturday afternoon.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for about a dozen upstate counties as crews prepared for the long-term event, while in Pennsylvania, Governor Josh Shaprio State National Guard has been activated Assisting stranded drivers and responding to calls to emergency vehicles.

Erie County Executive Brenton Davis declared a snow disaster. Davis’ proclamation said, “The roads are dangerous and travel is strongly discouraged except in emergency.”