Cuomo Declares State of Emergency in New York [AUDIO]

Governor Andrew Cuomo has declared a state of emergency for the winter storm that has moved from the midwest to the northeastern United States.

The State of Emergency covers Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Monroe, Oneida, Orleans, Oswego, Wayne, and Wyoming.

The Governor made the following announcement regarding the emergency:

The State Emergency Operations Center opened at 8:00pm on Monday, January 6, 2014.  What is being described as a "severe winter weather event" is forecast to include three feet of snow in before Wednesday, and as much as six feet in areas impacted by lake effect snow.  Snowfall rates could be as high as four inches per hour with wind gusts up to 40 mph and temperatures as cold as 40-degrees below zero.

If necessary the New York State Thruway will be closed to decrease the chance for accidents as well as to give emergency crews easy access.  More than three hundred Army and Air National Guardsmen are on standby.  Cuomo has directed the Public Service Commission, State Police, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to be at the ready as well.