'This is going to be a dangerous storm.' Travel bans issued ahead of winter storm

Robert Bell, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Updated ·2 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Due to the weekend storm, Gov. Kathy Hochul has issued a full travel ban across Erie County beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday.

In addition, all commercial traffic will be banned on the New York State Thruway between exit 46 (Henrietta) and the Pennsylvania State Line.

Bot travel bans will be in effect until further notice.

"This is going to be a dangerous storm," Hochul said at a noon press conference on Saturday.

Winter storm warning issued for western New York

A winter storm warning has been issued for parts of western New York, including Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Niagara, and Orleans counties, from Saturday afternoon through Monday morning.

Heavy lake effect snow, reaching 1 to 3 feet in some areas, along with strong winds up to 65 mph, is expected.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo warns of significant blowing and drifting snow, leading to difficult to impossible travel conditions over the weekend.

A high wind warning is also in effect for Rochester and parts of western and central New York, with gusts up to 50-65 mph expected through Saturday night.

Buffalo Bills vs. Pittsburgh Steelers playoff game postponed

The NFL, Buffalo Bills, New York State, and Erie County officials on Saturday postponed the AFC wild-card game between the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers to Monday at 4:30 p.m. due to the forecasted dangerous weather in Buffalo. The was scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.

Contact Robert Bell at: rlbell@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @byrobbell & Instagram: @byrobbell. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester NY Weather: Travel bans issued on NY Thruway, Erie County