Post-Thanksgiving travel turned into a nightmare for many in the Great Lakes area on Sunday, as heavy lake-effect snow and frigid temperatures blanketed a significant portion of the United States.
More than two million people living downwind of the Great Lakes faced severe winter weather warnings. The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings for areas around Lakes Superior and Michigan, while lake-effect snow warnings were in place for regions near Lakes Erie and Ontario. Parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York reported substantial snowfall over the weekend.
Western New York was particularly hard hit, with almost 4 feet of snow falling in some areas over the last few days, according to the Weather Prediction Center. Copenhagen, New York, saw nearly 5 feet of snow by Sunday night.
These lake-effect warnings for parts of western New York, northeastern Ohio, and northwestern Pennsylvania are expected to last until Tuesday morning.
As cold temperatures grip nearly 70% of the continental U.S., cities like New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Cincinnati are bracing for below-average temperatures throughout the week.
In Erie, Pennsylvania, residents spent hours shoveling and using snowblowers to clear their driveways and walkways on Saturday. “Yesterday, I shoveled for four hours, and today I’ve been at it for about an hour,” Erie resident Richard Korytowski shared with WICU.
Lake-effect snow is caused by cold, wind-driven air passing over relatively warmer lake waters. This time, the Great Lakes, which are unusually warm, have fueled the snowstorm.
The treacherous conditions in Erie even led some snowplow drivers to get stuck while clearing the roads. Eleven counties in western and central New York are under a state of emergency, declared by Governor Kathy Hochul on Friday. This includes Erie County, where officials issued a code blue alert, urging those needing shelter to seek help.
Governor Hochul assured residents, “Our state agencies and over 100 National Guard members are on the ground to support storm operations.” Similarly, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro deployed the National Guard to assist stranded motorists and ensure emergency responders could reach those in need.
The winter storm coincided with millions traveling home from Thanksgiving celebrations, leading to dangerous driving conditions. In western New York, road conditions deteriorated rapidly, making travel “very difficult to impossible,” according to the National Weather Service office in Buffalo.
Some families, like Janelle Kriegbaum’s, faced challenges returning home. “It took my husband over two hours to clear our driveway with his snowblower,” Kriegbaum recounted.
The Arctic chill spreading from Canada is expected to cause temperatures to drop 15 to 25 degrees below average across much of the eastern U.S., persisting through mid-week.
The Weather Prediction Center forecasted temperatures 10 to 20 degrees below average from the Northern Plains to the Ohio Valley, extending southeast along much of the East Coast by Monday.
Additional snowfall is expected, with another 1 to 2 feet likely to fall in parts of Pennsylvania, northern Ohio, and western New York.
Areas like North East, Pennsylvania, recorded over 42 inches of snow between Thursday night and Saturday afternoon, while Erie, Pennsylvania, saw 31 inches. In New York, Barnes Corners accumulated 46 inches of snow by Sunday morning.
Residents in affected areas shared their experiences of being snowed in. In Ashtabula County, Ohio, Ashley Drew captured footage of her Conneaut home nearly buried under the snow. Similarly, Cameo DiChiara in Painesville, Ohio, found herself stranded at home due to a dead car battery and heavy snowfall.
Kathy Davis, a resident of Tug Hill in northern New York, described the snowfall as a “good old-fashioned winter” reminiscent of her childhood.
Forecasters continue to warn of hazardous travel conditions and poor visibility, urging drivers to use extreme caution and give plow drivers plenty of room to work.
With major highways closed or restricted to certain vehicles, officials across the Great Lakes region are working tirelessly to clear roads and keep residents safe. In New York, State Police assisted over 110 disabled vehicles and helped a woman reach an airport for her heart transplant amid the storm.
Despite the snowstorm, the Buffalo Bills’ home game against the San Francisco 49ers went ahead as planned on Sunday night, thanks to the efforts of crews and volunteers who cleared the field of snow.
The National Weather Service continues to caution residents to avoid unnecessary travel and stay safe as the snowstorm persists.
