Travel Weather Forecast: Storm blankets parts of US during busy holiday weekend with more snow and cold

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The first heavy snowfall of the season blanketed parts of New York, Pennsylvania and Michigan during the busy U.S. travel and shopping weekend, with numbing cold and heavy snowfall which is expected to persist until the beginning of the week and cause dangers. in the Great Lakes, Plains, and Midwest regions.

The snowstorm led to a state of emergency declaration in parts of New York and a disaster declaration in Pennsylvania, with authorities warning of dangerous conditions for Thanksgiving travelers returning home.

A blast of arctic air brought bitter temperatures 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit below average across the Northern Plains, the weather service said, triggering cold weather advisories for parts of North Dakota. Frigid air is expected to move across the eastern third of the United States by Monday, with temperatures about 10 degrees below average.

Nearly 24 inches (61 centimeters) of snow fell in parts of New York, Ohio and Michigan and 29 inches (73 centimeters) were recorded in the northwest tip of Pennsylvania.

“Travel will be extremely difficult and dangerous this weekend, especially in areas where several feet of snow can accumulate very quickly,” the National Weather Service said.

In an update Saturday afternoon, the weather service said the heaviest snow totals were expected “downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario, affecting areas of northeastern Ohio, far northwest Pennsylvania, western New York, and parts of northwestern New York.”

In a phone interview Saturday with WWNY-TV, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state had prepared for the storm for days by deploying snow plows and thousands of workers and consulting with public service providers. She also dispatched personnel from other parts of the state to help.

“I know this is something they are all used to and can handle, but I want to let them know we are here with reinforcements and make sure everyone can travel safely, especially during this very busy holiday weekend,” she said.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a disaster emergency proclamation and said parts of northwest Erie County received nearly three feet of snow and Others were expected until Monday evening.

Pennsylvania State Police responded to nearly 200 incidents during a 24-hour period from 6 a.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday, officials said. Officials closed part of I-90 in Pennsylvania and the westbound lanes of the New York Thruway heading into Pennsylvania.

The city of Erie, Pennsylvania, said travel was limited to first responders, essential employees and medical emergencies until further notice. Snow and slippery conditions stranded vehicles, blocking intersections and streets. Residents were asked to shelter in place and allow crews to clean neighborhoods.

With some roads in northwest Pennsylvania impassable, many travelers took refuge in the lobby and hallways of a Holiday Inn near I-90. Jeremiah Weatherley, a hotel staff member, said workers opened the conference room and gave them blankets.

“They just showed up and we don’t want to turn people away,” he said.

In Buffalo, officials with the NFL Bills have been looking for stadium snow shovelers for the season, including before Sunday night's game against the San Francisco 49ers. The team said they would pay $20 an hour and provide food and hot drinks.

Parts of Michigan have been hit with lake-effect snow, which occurs when warm, moist air rising from a body of water mixes with cold, dry air above. Bands of snow rolling across Lake Superior buried parts of the Upper Peninsula less than 24 inches or more, said Lily Chapman, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Marquette, Michigan.

There was 27 inches (69 centimeters) of snow just northeast of Ironwood, in the western part of the Upper Peninsula, and another 2 feet (61 centimeters) in Munising, in the eastern area, she said. declared.

Lake-effect snow could add more than a foot (30.5 centimeters) to the eastern Upper Peninsula through Monday morning, with 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 centimeters) or more to the west , said Chapman.

Gaylord, Michigan, received 24.8 inches (63 centimeters) of snow Friday, setting a new single-day record for the city in a region dotted with ski resorts, said Keith Berger of the weather service's Gaylord office. The previous record of 17 inches (43 centimeters) was set on March 9, 1942.

The snowfall was good news for Treetops Resort, which has 80 acres (32 hectares) of skiing on 2,000 acres (809 hectares). That solidified the basis that snowmaking machines will ramp up before the resort's season opens next weekend, said recreation director Doug Hoeh.

“Obviously when there's this much snowfall, it's good for the snowy hills, but it's bad for the parking lots, so we're digging in,” Hoeh said.

Izaguirre reported from Lindenhurst, New York, and Callahan from Indianapolis. AP writers in the United States contributed.

Copyright 2024 by Associated Press. All rights reserved.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos