New York Prepping Emergency Response for Tonight’s Snow
Old man winter is about to make his first real visit here in Western New York, and the State is bracing for impact, and rolling out the reinforcements.
With many areas expected to see double-digit snowfall for the first time this winter, the state is gearing up in advance of tonight's storm to try to keep the roads as clear as possible.
The State Department of Transportation is prepared to respond to the storm with 1,583 snow plows, 322 large loaders, 148 medium-duty plows, 51 tow plows, 38 snow blowers, 22 pickup trucks with plows, and 20 graders. The Thruway Authority is also ready to respond with 233 large snow plows, 117 medium snow plows, 11 tow plows, and 67 loaders across the state with more than 118,000 tons of road salt on hand.
With the double-digit snowfall accumulation, and high winds moving into the area tonight, travel may be impossible at times, and the state is urging everyone to stay home if possible.
Forecasts are calling for up to nine inches of snow in Western New York..in the coming days. I encourage everyone to closely monitor their local forecasts, use caution while traveling and take the steps necessary for keeping their households safe.
For those that need to travel on the New York State Thruway, the Thruway Authority is asking motorists to download its mobile app which is available for free on iPhone and Android devices.
Snow is expected to start to fall in the area late this afternoon/this evening may come down at snowfall rates greater than one inch per hour, with wind gusts of 40-45 mph. Higher elevations could see wind gusts in excess of 60 mph.