Wind advisories and power outages continue. Here's what to expect today

Strong winds that knocked out power for thousands in the Rochester area Tuesday evening are on the downswing Wednesday. The peak gust in Rochester was 52 mph, recorded at 7:20 p.m. at the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport, said Meteorologist Bob Hamilton of the National Weather Service in Buffalo. Here are the latest updates:

Truck ban on NY Thruway lifted after windstorm

The ban on all empty trucks, tandem trucks and tractor-trailers on Interstate 90 ended at 8 a.m. Wednesday, according to the New York State Thruway Authority. The ban was in place due to strong winds from the storm.

Power outages still underway in some areas

At the peak of the outage on Tuesday evening, more than 13,300 RG&E customers were without power, including more than 6,500 customers within the Rochester region, which included Monroe and Orleans counties, according to the company. Webster was particularly hard hit with more than 4,000 customers in the dark on Tuesday evening.

According to the utility company's website, nearly 900 RG&E customers were still without power as of 6 a.m. Wednesday. More than half of those customers, roughly 450, are in Webster.

More than 4,800 RG&E customers in Allegany County south of Rochester were still without power as of 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Crews worked through the night and continue Wednesday morning to assess the damage, make safe downed wires, clear fallen tree debris from the roads and restore power, according to RG&E officials.

South of Rochester, nearly 3,400 New York State Electric and Gas customers in Steuben County and nearly 6,500 NYSEG customers in Yates County also lost power due to high winds as of 6 a.m., according to the company's website. Statewide, more than 58,500 NYSEG customers lost power because of the storm.

Wind advisory in effect for Rochester NY

Tuesday's high wind warning has been downgraded to a wind advisory that is in place until 7 p.m. Wednesday through much of western and central New York. Gusts up to 50 mph are still possible, with sustained winds between 30 and 40 mph.:

Power outages in Rochester NY rise as windstorm sweeps through region

As the windstorm sweeps through the Rochester region, power outages are rising, leaving thousands in the dark. The strong wind gusts are causing widespread disruptions. Here are the latest areas being impacted:

Wind gusts reach 70 mph in Buffalo

The Weather Service reported that a gust of 70 mph was reported from the southeast at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport at 2:45 p.m.

Comparatively, The strongest gust recorded at the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport as of 3:30 p.m. was 29 mph and was recorded at 4:42 a.m., said Weather Service Meteorologist Steve Welch.

Wind gust exceeds 70 mph near Fredonia

The Weather Service reported a 74 mph wind gust in Dunkirk, Chautauqua County at 11:24 a.m. and extensive damage from winds along the coast of Lake Erie between Westfield and Hanover. A wind between 65 and 74 mph is considered storm force on the Beaufort Scale, capable of knocking over trees or damaging buildings.

School cancelations in Rochester NY due to weather

Some school districts in the Rochester region have canceled afterschool and evening activities for Tuesday due to the predicted high winds. Rochester City School District has canceled activities and events after school, as have numerous suburban districts in Monroe County including: Brighton, Gates Chili, Greece, Hilton, Penfield, Pittsford and Spencerport.

Some districts, however, as of early Tuesday afternoon are still planning to hold scheduled Board of Education meetings Tuesday evening, but that could change so check before such a meeting is set to begin.

'No unnecessary travel' for Tuesday afternoon, evening

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello activated the county's Emergency Operations Center Tuesday morning to coordinate a community-wide response to the predicted potentially dangerous conditions and potential widespread power outages stemming from high winds forecast for the next day.

Bello also urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel Tuesday afternoon and evening "as as conditions may be challenging with downed trees and power lines," he said.

"The county’s Office of Emergency Management is monitoring this developing situation and is working in cooperation with state, town and village officials and emergency responders," he said in a written statement.

Windstorm warning leads to truck ban on parts of Thruway

Due to a high wind warning, the New York State Thruway Authority has banned all empty trucks, tandem trucks and tractor-trailers Tuesday on Interstate 90, from exit 36 (I-81) to the Pennsylvania border and on I-190 between I-90 and exit 22 (Route 62).

The ban will be in effect until further notice, according to the Thruway Authority.

Thruway officials noted that an empty tractor-trailer overturned blocking the Thruway's westbound lanes between Exit 59 (Dunkirk) and Exit 60 (Westfield) around 10:45 a.m. and shared it as an example as per why the ban is currently in place.

High wind warning issued for Rochester NY

The Weather Service issued a high wind warning  throughout much of western and central New York. The warning for Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Wyoming, northern Cayuga, Orleans, Wayne, Allegany and Niagara counties will be in effect through 4 a.m. Wednesday.

In the Rochester region, forecasters predict sustained winds up to 40 mph and gusts up to 60 mph. The highest winds are predicted to hit Rochester Tuesday evening, said Weather Service Meteorologist Dan Kelly.

Near Watertown - in Oswego, Jefferson and Lewis counties - a high wind warning predicts sustained winds up to 45 mph and gusts up to 70 mph and runs from 1 p.m. Tuesday through 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Winds will be coming from the southeast, Kelly said, so travel could be difficult for larger vehicles - including tractor-trailers - on parts of the New York state Thruway.

Power outages possible in Rochester NY

Damaging winds are expected to blow down power lines, trees, branches and utility poles, especially since the ground is not frozen, Kelly said. This could cause some widespread power outages, so prepare for that possibility, he said.

Rochester, Gas and Electric Corp. has already prestaged roughly 1,300 line workers and 200 tree crews throughout western and central New York ahead of the storm, the company said in a news release.

What to do during a power outage in winter?

Here are ways to stay warm in your home during a winter power outage, according to AAA and the New York State Department of Public Service.

• Close off unused rooms to consolidate and retain heat as soon as you lose power.

• Wear layered clothing and use blankets or sleeping bags to stay warm.

• Never heat your home using the stove or oven.

• Minimize your time outdoors.

• Know the mental and physical signs of hypothermia and how to treat it. Symptoms include shivering, drowsiness, slurred speech and disorientation. If you believe someone is suffering from hypothermia, wrap them in warm clothing, move to a warm location and seek medical attention.

• Let faucets drip or trickle to prevent pipes from freezing bursting, which can cause extensive water damage

New York winter storm: Snow, rain and high winds expected

Gov. Kathy Hochul, in a Sunday news conference, shared details of the winter storm, which is predicted to impact the state on Tuesday and Wednesday with snow, heavy rain and high winds, further degrading travel conditions and producing flooding conditions in some locations.

Heavy rain and snowmelt are expected to cause river flooding in some parts of the state, as well as localized urban and poor drainage flooding. Sustained winds accompanying the system could reach up to 45 mph in some places, and 60 to 70 mph gusts, especially in areas by Lake Ontario.

"I urge New Yorkers to stay vigilant and practice caution, especially if you need to travel,” Hochul said on Sunday. She noted that state agencies are monitoring the storm and are prepared to assist counties as needed.

Weather in Rochester NY: How much snow will we get?

Rochester area residents should expect to see snow that transitions to a mix of snow and rain then ultimately just rain as Tuesday progresses, Kelly said.

Rochester, though, shouldn't see much snow, he said.

To date this season, Rochester's official snowfall total this season is 15.4 inches of snow, recorded at the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport.

Last winter, 50.4 inches of snow fell in Rochester, with the snowiest month of March tallying 20.5 inches at the Rochester airport, according to the Weather Service. The normal seasonal snowfall average is around 102 inches.

Rochester's snowiest season in the last two decades was in 2002-03, when 135.2 inches fell. The least snowy season in he last 20 years was this past winter, according to the Weather Service. The least snowy winter on record was in 1932-33, when only 29.2 inches fell.

The temperature is predicted to warm up on Tuesday - with a predicted high in the mid-40s. The normal high in Rochester during the second week of January is in the mid-30s. So far this month, the high temperature in Rochester has not left the 30s with the warmest date as Jan 2 at 38 degrees.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester NY Weather: Power outages rise as windstorm hits