Maps show lake effect snow hazards

More than a foot of snow fell in parts of the Northeast over Thanksgiving, and more snow will fall in parts of the Upper Great Lakes Northeast on Saturday and the rest of the weekend, forecasters said.

As of Saturday, portions of the New York Thruway had been cleared but remained closed while Pennsylvania worked to clear its highways in the region. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he had called in the state’s National Guard to help stranded drivers and signed a disaster declaration in Erie County. He urged people to stay off the streets.

An intense lake effect is forecast to bring bands of snow from Lakes Erie and Ontario to the Buffalo, New York, area for the remainder of the weekend, bringing up to 1 to 2 feet of additional snow in some places, the weather service there said.

In Buffalo, the weather service warned Saturday that snow could fall at a rate of 1 to 3 inches per hour in the most stubborn snow bands during the day. During these times, travel conditions will be almost impossible.

Within the heaviest snow bands, conditions could be blizzard-like and several feet of snow could accumulate, while conditions outside the bands will be significantly milder, AccuWeather said. Even if conditions appear safe for driving near your starting point, there’s no telling what you might encounter during your holiday weekend trip.

“Should a traveler become stranded, the situation could quickly escalate into a life-threatening emergency given the conditions,” said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter.

Snow is forecast in several states

According to the National Weather Service, temperatures across the northern Plains will be below average, while heavy lake snowfall will impact Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and parts of the Lower Peninsula through Monday. Snow coming from Lake Erie and Lake Ontario will also impact leeward regions this weekend, bringing snow to states like Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York.

The weather service said light to moderate snow will also fall over parts of the Central Plains and central Appalachians through Sunday.

The weather service in St. Louis also warned that heavy snow amounts of 3 to 5 inches could lead to hazardous road conditions along the I-70/I-64 corridor.

Hypothermia, icy roads: How to stay safe during snowstorms

Erie County, Pennsylvania, Snow Emergency

In Erie County, all public transportation was suspended Saturday and libraries were closed due to the ongoing snow emergency caused by lake effects. In addition to Shapiro’s county disaster declaration, Erie Mayor Joe Schember declared a snow emergency for the city over the weekend.

Erie International Airport measured 22.6 inches of snowfall on Friday, and forecasters said another 42 inches are expected by Tuesday morning, including between 10 and 20 inches on Saturday.

The county also urged residents not to call 911 unless there is a life-threatening emergency due to high call volumes during the storm.

Snow forecast map

The map below shows the likelihood that more than 10cm of snow could fall in an area. Use the slider in the top left to toggle between day and day.

Winter weather forecast map: See full version

Weather warnings and watches in the USA

National Weather Radar

Winter Storm Severity Index

What is Lake Effect Snow?

Lake effect snow can last anywhere from a few minutes to several days. According to the National Weather Service, it typically occurs in the fall and early winter before the lakes freeze over and is common in the Great Lakes region.

Lake effect snow occurs when cold air, usually from Canada, flows over warmer water, bringing heat and moisture into the lowest part of the atmosphere. As the air rises, clouds form, forming a narrow band that creates lake-effect snow. As long as it lasts, around 5 to 7 cm of snow may fall per hour.

Contributor: Erie Times-News

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dangerous snow predicted near Buffalo: See forecast maps and warnings