State of emergency declared for WNY counties ahead of snowfall

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for multiple counties in Western New York on Wednesday ahead of the incoming lake-effect snowfall.

Erie, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee and Wyoming counties are all under the state of emergency, along with additional counties in the North Country.

Southern Erie (south of Route 20A), Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Wyoming counties are currently under a lake-effect snow warning. Starting 10 p.m. Wednesday, Northern Erie County, including the city of Buffalo, and Genesee County will also be under a lake-effect snow warning. Both alerts expire at 1 p.m. Friday.

A tandem and empty tractor trailer ban will be in effect starting midnight Thursday until further notice on New York State Thruway I-90 from Exit 53 West to the Pennsylvania state line in both directions. The ban is also issued for Route 5 from NY 179 to I-190, US 219 from I-90 to I-86, Route 400 from I-90 to NY 16, and I-86 from US 219 to the Pennsylvania state line.

Buffalo is expected to get around one to three inches through Thursday, while southern Erie County, Dunkirk, and surrounding areas could get two feet or more. Hochul said in a release that wind gusts of 30 to 45 miles per hour may cause whiteout conditions.

In a post on X, Hochul urged New Yorkers to avoid unnecessary travel and sign up for emergency alerts.

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