Update at 5 p.m.: Pennsylvania has closed Interstate 90 west of the New York state border. That means New York is making all westbound motorists get off the Thruway at Exit 59 in Dunkirk. Drivers should seek alternate routes.
Original story below:
Buffalo, N.Y. — Empty and tandem commercial vehicles will be banned from some highways in Western New York as heavy bands of lake effect snow approaches.
The ban will start at 3 p.m. on Friday (today) for empty and tandem commercial vehicles, Gov. Kathy Hochul posted on social media.
The ban includes:
The bans come as several inches and feet of snow are possible in Western New York and the Tug Hill plateau, according to the National Weather Service.
Areas south of Buffalo to the Pennsylvania line, and in the communities around Watertown, the winds and colder temperatures could whip up snow from the Great Lakes and deposit so much that travel could become dangerous and impossible, the service says.
Forecasting this system remains difficult, according to the weather service.
That means as of 5 a.m. Friday, the snow fall projected for specific communities included wide ranges. Consider these forecasts for today through early Monday:
And Watertown could get 49 to 64 inches – more than 5 feet of snow by Monday.
Staff writer Rylee Kirk covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, photo, question or comment? Reach her at 315-396-5961, on Twitter @kirk_rylee, or rkirk@syracuse.com.
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