State of emergencies, travel advisories in effect Tuesday
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- As the snow falls and windchills dip to dangerously low levels, officials encourage Western New Yorkers to keep an eye on the forecast and be safe.
See what to look out for when hitting the streets below.
State of Emergency
Governor Kathy Hochul declared a State of Emergency Monday for the storm that is expected to continue through Wednesday.
Travel will be difficult with poor visibility through Wednesday night. Wind gusts will reach 30 mph with a snowfall rate of 1-2" per hour. Two to three feet of snow are expected off of Lake Ontario while downtown Buffalo is expected to receive up to a foot.
The counties affected include Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming and Allegany.
Windchills will dip as low as 0 to -25 degrees.
Buffalo Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon also declared his own specific State of Emergency for the city. Residents are urged to stay indoors if possible.
Road closures
The Buffalo Skyway is closed as of 11:50 a.m. Tuesday due to worsening weather. Drivers are advised to seek alternate routes and exercise caution when traveling.
Route 5 West is closed from Church Street in Buffalo to Route 179 in Hamburg as of 12:04 p.m.
Travel advisories
As of 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, most of Erie County is under a travel advisory while the Town of Brant is under a travel ban. No unnecessary travel is advised.
Closings
There are many closings across Western New York. You can see a full list by clicking here.
This story will be updated as advisories and bans continue.
Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University.