UPDATED, Nov. 18, 2014, 8 p.m. PT
Snow continued to blanket upstate New York into the evening Tuesday, with the National Weather Service's Buffalo Station reporting more than six feet of snow in parts of the region and multiple towns declaring states of emergency.
An epic amount of lake-effect snow had brought the area to a standstill earlier in the day.
Some parts of our county are going to receive a years worth of snowfall in three days.
— Mark Poloncarz (@markpoloncarz) November 19, 2014
The National Weather Service expects the intense snow conditions to continue throughout the evening and noted a lake-effect snow warning would run through noon Wednesday in its latest update. Along with mass amounts of snow, the National Weather Service forecast winds reaching 20 miles per hour with gusts up to 35 miles per hour.
National 24hr record for snow: 76", Silver Lake, CO. Some BUF suburbs approached this today - possibly highest 24hr snow in a populated area
— NWS BUFFALO (@NWSBUFFALO) November 19, 2014
In addition to declaring states of emergency, some areas enacted travel bans.
Depew extending its State of Emergency and Driving Ban until AT LEAST NOON on Wednesday 11/19/2014 @wgrz @WKBW @news4buffalo @NewsRadio930
— Depew OEM (@DepewOEM) November 19, 2014
#Buffalo mayor thanks people who have obeyed driving ban - 2500 tons of snow have been removed so far http://t.co/jDNzCT2rzt #TWCNewsSnow
— TWC News Buffalo (@TWCNewsBuffalo) November 19, 2014
State of Emergency declared in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Franklin, Genesee, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego and Wyoming Counties.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) November 18, 2014
Lackawanna state of emergency will continue into tomorrow. Mayor Geoff Szymanski says plow drivers compare this to brick wall. #LakeEffect
— WBEN NewsRadio 930AM (@NewsRadio930) November 19, 2014
The National Weather Service warned that those driving in south Buffalo and nearby suburbs risk being trapped. Several pictures of cars covered in snow surfaced throughout the day.
The scene from Transit Road, a NYSEG truck among those stuck in the #LakeEffect pic.twitter.com/BCCGWcYChp
— WBEN NewsRadio 930AM (@NewsRadio930) November 18, 2014
Before just now I haven't seen snowfall all day. 0-60 in 3.4 seconds. pic.twitter.com/ZJ4nu3nqqz
— Brian Mazurowski (@BMaz1) November 19, 2014
One person was killed after being hit while trying to move his car, according to WBEN News Radio, which also reported three other deaths.
Poloncarz: Four deaths from this storm, one from someone getting hit while trying to push a car out. Others from Cardiac events.
— WBEN NewsRadio 930AM (@NewsRadio930) November 19, 2014
More than 100 vehicles were stranded--even snow plows were getting stuck--on a 100-mile stretch of I-90 from Rochester, New York, to the Pennsylvania State Line due to white-out conditions, according to The Weather Channel.
State has activated 526 plows, 74 large loaders, 1,247 operators, 17 large snow blowers, 4 truck-mounted snow blowers pic.twitter.com/8XN94i4XlA
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) November 19, 2014
Emergency workers were also spotted trudging through the snow with a patient.
Buffalo's bravest carrying a patient 10 blocks to Mercy hospital. "UT VIVANT ALII!!" (So others may live) pic.twitter.com/63Wb1NbN6v
— d mann (@DenmannSr) November 19, 2014
In addition, the deluge of wintry white stuff prompted a snow day Wednesday in Buffalo.
The Buffalo Public Schools will remain closed on Wednesday, November 19th, due to weather-related difficulties.
— Buffalo Schools (@Buffalo_Schools) November 19, 2014
Some of the most stunning images of the wall of snow moving into Buffalo were captured from above, as passengers on the few flights leaving the city snapped shots.
View of the wall of snow clouds coming into Buffalo pic.twitter.com/rWuNL4OGEq
— John Murgatroyd (@murgcnn) November 18, 2014
@NewsRadio930 How about these pictures taken from one of the few flights leaving Buffalo this AM pic.twitter.com/P5qel5ckgw
— Jeffrey Suhr (@JeffreySuhr) November 18, 2014
The wall of snow is getting closer!! #Buffalo #Snow #BuffaloSnow @weathernetwork @NBCNews pic.twitter.com/xvRklmHC3O
— Joseph DeBenedictis (@Joseph_Video) November 18, 2014
Those on the ground captured equally crazy images, showing massive drifts piling up in driveways, swallowing cars, dogs, houses and people.
Literally the snow is crashing through homes in Buffalo! @10weather @ABC @AriWeather @Ken_Brewer
— Sherri Grin (@SherriGrin) Nov 18 2014
Hey @JimCantore my wife is 5'7" I'd say we're at 4 feet in Lancaster, NY and still coming! pic.twitter.com/7iUDaRpfTg
— Jeff Schaefer (@jeffschaef) November 18, 2014
It seems that I've lost my house !! #LakeEffectMachine #TheDayAfterTomorrow pic.twitter.com/6goZjs5MLI
— David Westphal (@WestphalDavid) November 18, 2014
#SouthBuffalo #LakeEffect #Snowpocalypse pic.twitter.com/NXt8OcMCQC
— Katie (@tino84) November 18, 2014
Uh. Wow. Alden, NY. Posted by Shannon L Roetzer to @Wgrz FB page. #LakeEffect pic.twitter.com/odyCcxFTcL
— Tim Ballisty (@IrishEagle) November 18, 2014
@HeatherLyWGRZ shoulder deep here lancaster elma border pic.twitter.com/0GBwtC6Xge
— Jamie Dudziak (@DudziakJamie) November 18, 2014
Hello? Is there a car under there? Took 2 hours to dig out. Still no plow in Lancaster. #buffalo #snow pic.twitter.com/DKnPfd1LdC
— Melaine Kenyon (@alibrarian) November 18, 2014
The large drifts made travel virtually impossible in some areas, as one police officer found the hard way.
This State Police car has been stuck on Crittenden Rd in Alden since before 3 a.m. @WGRZ #WGRZsnow pic.twitter.com/Z4m8qW0D2N
— Heather Ly (@HeatherLyWGRZ) November 18, 2014
And this little guy was left wondering how to get out for his morning walk.
How would you like to open your front door and see this? East Lancaster, NY… Photo from Tara Schwab #nywx pic.twitter.com/tzkaBcVNJp
— James Spann (@spann) November 18, 2014
Oh, and that lake effect? This is what it looks like.
