Parts of NY dig out after potentially ‘historic’ snowfall
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — At least half a dozen buildings in western New York suffered damage from icy and snowy slides, some as far away as Connecticut. State and local emergency officials warned of winter weather risks with heavy snowfall, freezing rain, wind speeds of 55 mph and heavy ice accumulation in the Adirondacks.
Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown said a section of Delaware Avenue near the Buffalo River — which flooded the day before because of heavy ice and snow — was “almost totally shut down.”
The Buffalo News reported an additional two-story building on Delaware Avenue was evacuated by police with an announcement over the public address system about the risk to people and buildings.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for southeastern New York and southwest Ontario, which includes Buffalo.
National Weather Service meteorologist Nick DeSilva tweeted that “blizzard-like” conditions were affecting Buffalo and surrounding communities, including Erie, Tonawanda, Rochester, Geneseo and Ithaca.
The National Weather Service has issued similar snowstorm warnings for the Adirondack Mountains from Binghamton to Lake George. Blizzard conditions were also reported in the northern part of Erie County, where schools remained closed.
The National Weather Service said the blizzard warning had been expanded to include Buffalo and the Buffalo-Niagara-Buffalo Airport region as well as Rochester and Syracuse, New York.
A blizzard warning means ice, snow, heavy rain, winds at 35 mph or greater and/or gusts up to 45 mph are expected starting Saturday. A winter storm warning means ice, snow, wind gusts of up to 40 mph, or rain that would cause flooding, are expected to affect the area over a 24-hour period, beginning as soon as Saturday.
A winter storm warning remains in effect for central and northern portions of the state.
The National Weather Service had a blizzard warning and a winter storm warning for the Adirondack Mountains, which includes Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Allentown, New York, until midnight on March 13.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city had received more than 2 feet of snow in recent days, which was already piled up by 10 inches in some areas. He urged residents who couldn’t get to a basement or emergency shelter