A storm expected to dump up to 3 feet of snow this weekend across parts of Western New York postponed a Buffalo Bills playoff game, generated a regionwide state of emergency and closed area roads by late Saturday.
The National Football League decided to move the Bills wild card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1 p.m. Sunday to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Saturday.
The league agreed to move the game, which will remain at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, at the urging of Hochul’s office because of the predicted severity of the storm.
The storm also prompted Hochul and local officials to issue a driving ban in Erie County from 9 p.m. Saturday to at least 6 a.m. Sunday, when it will be revisited.
“This is going to be a dangerous storm. I’d rather be safe than sorry later,” Hochul said at a news briefing at the state Thruway Authority garage in Cheektowaga, where Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown joined her.
This storm won’t be as devastating as the blizzard that struck the region in December 2022, killing 47 people and leading to widespread criticism about storm response and preparation, officials said. But up to 2 to 3 inches of snow per hour, with wind gusts of up to 60 mph, are forecast in the worst of the lake-effect snow bands. Areas receiving the heaviest snowfall could get up to 2 to 3 feet of snow between Saturday and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
“Blizzard conditions will be possible at times, especially tonight and Sunday,” the service announced early Saturday.
New York on Friday had issued a state of emergency for Western New York and other parts of upstate New York.
Winter storm warnings took effect Saturday morning for much of the region. The winter storm warning is set to expire at 3 p.m. Sunday in Niagara and Orleans counties and at 7 a.m. Monday for Erie, Genesee and Wyoming counties.
Much of the area will see 1 to 2 feet of…
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