THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BUFFALO HAS ISSUED A LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY.

LAKE EFFECT SNOW DEVELOPING OFF LAKE ERIE WILL EXTEND WELL INLAND INTO PORTIONS OF THE ROCHESTER AREA FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. EXPECT ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 5 INCHES…WITH THE GREATEST AMOUNTS ACROSS THE WESTERN AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF MONROE COUNTY.

IN ADDITION TO ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL…STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. THIS WILL RESULT IN GREATLY REDUCED VISIBILITY AT TIMES…ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS.

-NWS Buffalo

Winter has finally arrived in WNY. The entire area last night and early this morning was blanketed with a few inches of slushy wet snow. About half of that has melted away in the warmer temperatures and passing showers, but as outlined above, we’re in for more snow on Thursday.

2-5″ of snow is nothing for us, but this snow will be of the fluffy variety on Thursday. Couple that with high winds and we have a recipe for blowing snow creating dangerous whiteout conditions. If you’re doing any driving tomorrow, be prepared for reduced visibilities in any squalls of snow. As is with any kind of lake effect snow, conditions can vary from sunny one minute, to a whiteout the next.