travel bans for western new york

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All The Travel Bans + Advisories in Western New York

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The snow is coming down in Western New York today and it was coming down fast earlier this morning. A lot of towns and villages have issued travel advisories and bans in order to get out the plows and services to make sure that the roads are safe to travel on.

This morning, traffic was, as you can imagine EXTREMELY light. There were very few cars out on the road for most of the morning. Where are the travel bans and advisories in Western New York? What is the difference between a travel ban and a travel advisory?

TRAVEL BANS:

• Niagara Falls
• North Tonawanda

When there is a travel ban, that means absolutely no unnecessary travel until further notice. North Tonawanda's travel ban will last through 6 pm today.

TRAVEL ADVISORY: 

• All of Niagara County

Travel advisory means that you should not travel unless you have to. Residents are encouraged to restrict non-essential travel for the duration of today's snow event.

The wind is really going to become an issue later on today as well. Wind gusts are expected to reach close to 30 in the City of Buffalo and between 30 and 40 miles per hour for the rest of Western New York. As of this morning, the Buffalo had over 15 inches of snowfall so far. More snow is expected later today. So, when the wind really gets going, visibility is going to get very bad later this afternoon.

At one point last night, you could look outside and see no snow at all, but then just a couple of hours later see nearly a foot. For a couple of hours, the snow was falling at approximately 4 inches per hour.

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Travel bans eased in some spots, but more lake-effect snow still expected

The National Weather Service is still predicting another day of heavy snow across the region with totals expected close to two feet in some spots.

• A series of Lake Effect Snow Warnings remain in place
• A State of Emergency in Erie County continues indefinitely
• A Travel Ban is in effect for most of Erie County— but has been downgraded to just an advisory in several locations.

Two intense plumes of lake effect snow with snowfall rates of at least 3 inches per hour will continue northeast of the lakes into Friday night, the National Weather Service says.

"It'll probably just remain over the Southtowns of Buffalo into ... the city of Buffalo out throughout the day, today and tonight, " said Liz Jurkowski, a meteorologist in the Buffalo forecast office of the National Weather Service

The weather service has measured about 11.5 inches at the airport as of 5 a.m. Friday, Jurkowski says. Depew reported 13 inches, with 18 in the Boston Hills.

Visibility remains an issue, especially where the lake-effect snow bands form.

"As that band heads north into Niagara County, things should start to lighten up a bit, you should be able to be able to get outside and start clearing out some of that snow," Jurkowski. "And then as that band shifts out Saturday night ... you'll wake up just a couple more inches Sunday morning."

Lake Effect in Buffalo NY 11/18/2022 @TheBuffaloNews @NWSBUFFALO @news4buffalo pic.twitter.com/mPHOPFo1bZ — WAlves (@w_wdglma) November 18, 2022

Travel is still not advised nor easy, but an outright ban in Erie County has been changed to an advisory only for Amherst, Buffalo, Brant, Colden, Collins, Concord, Grand Island, Newstead, North Collins, Sardinia, and the Town and City of Tonawanda.

As of 11:30 a.m. Friday, the NFTA says bus service will return to areas in Erie County outside of the travel ban beginning at noon. The NFTA-Metro is still operating and bus service continues in Niagara County. Paratransit has been suspended but the NFTA is asking riders to reschedule if possible.

As of 11 a.m. Friday, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz has issued travel ban for the City of Buffalo south of William Street.

"We do want to express our sincere appreciation to the residents of Erie County who for the most part heeded the warning that we have out there to stay off the roads they they took our advice and the travel ban and we really think that that is a major reason why and I'll things are getting up to speed," said Erie County Emergency Services Commissioner Dan Neaverth Jr., in announcing the travel ban change, early Friday morning

Neaverth cautioned, however, that while some areas might not have seen as much snowfall as others, no one should be lulled into a false sense of security.

"So this thing is still moving ... even though you might not have snow in your area you could. There is still a winter storm watch for southern area in Chautauqua County," he said

THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNINGS   Southern Erie County -Including the cities of Orchard Park and Springville WARNING IN PLACE UNTIL 1 AM SATURDAY Heavy lake effect snow Total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 feet in the most persistent lake snows. Highest totals likely in Hamburg and Orchard Park. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph will produce patchy blowing snow. Travel will be difficult to impossible

Northern Erie County and Genesee County - including Buffalo and Batavia WARNING IN PLACE UNTIL 1 P.M. SUNDAY Heavy lake effect snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 4 feet in the most persistent lake snows. The heaviest snow is expected late Thursday evening through Friday night when snowfall rates could exceed 3 inches per hour. Snowfall totals of up to 4 feet will be possible if the main snow band remains stationary for longer period of time. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph with produce patchy blowing snow. Travel will be very difficult to impossible. Heavy snow could also bring down some tree limbs and cause scattered power outages.

  Niagara County - including Niagara Falls WARNING BEGINS AT 7 P.M. FRIDAY UNTIL 7 A.M. SUNDAY Heavy lake effect snow likely. Total snow accumulations of 8 to 16 inches in the most persistent snow areas. Wind gusts as as high as 35 MPH will produce patchy blowing snow. Travel could be difficult to impossible. Tree limbs and wires may fall, causing power outages.

In advance of the storm, Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday urged residents in Western New York to stay home

“We’re expecting upwards of two to four feet. It’s not just the volume, two to four feet the first night, we could possibly see anywhere from four to six feet between now and Sunday. It is the rate of snow that is most concerning,” Hochul said.

Initial snow projections stated snow would fall at a rate of up to two inches per hour but the National Weather Service now says the rate is now expected to be two to four inches per hour which the governor called “extraordinary.”

“That level of snow coming down with that intensity is what creates the dangerousness and the lack of ability to see on the roads,” Hochul said.

The warnings created a flurry of activity at area grocery stores, with a run on some basic items like milk, bread and cold cuts.

A Tops Market in Depew had no bread — only hamburger or hotdog rolls available — by 6:30 p.m. Thursday evening. A similar rush was reported at a Target store in North Buffalo and elsewhere.

Hochul said the state and local officials have taken steps in preparation for the snow storm including activating the National Guard, pre-salting the streets and the closure of schools.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said Buffalo Public Schools will be closed Friday garbage and recycling collection for Friday has been postponed in preparation for the storm.

“I want to ask people in the city of Buffalo and throughout our region to stay off the roads between Thursday at seven and Friday at seven. If you have to get items if you have to stock up if you have to do things. The time to do that is right now before the snow starts to fly,” Brown said.

“If you must go out, you have to leave plenty of time and go very, very slowly," said New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray. "Visibility will likely be next to zero. The National Weather Service has deemed the event an extreme winter storm on its severity index for Jefferson County, Genesee County and Erie County."

The Wyoming County Sheriff's Office issued a travel advisory for the entire county Friday morning.

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'This is going to be a dangerous storm.' Travel bans issued ahead of winter storm

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Due to the weekend storm, Gov. Kathy Hochul has issued a full travel ban across Erie County beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday.

In addition, all commercial traffic will be banned on the New York State Thruway between exit 46 (Henrietta) and the Pennsylvania State Line.

Bot travel bans will be in effect until further notice.

"This is going to be a dangerous storm," Hochul said at a noon press conference on Saturday.

⚠️ #WNY - TRAVEL ALERT: Beginning at 9 p.m. TONIGHT, all commercial traffic WILL BE BANNED on all State, County and local roads in Erie County and on the Thruway between exit 46 (Henrietta) and the Pennsylvania State Line. This ban will remain in effect indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/vUBjKQrUQN — New York State Thruway Authority (@NYSThruway) January 13, 2024

Winter storm warning issued for western New York

A winter storm warning has been issued for parts of western New York, including Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Niagara, and Orleans counties, from Saturday afternoon through Monday morning.

Heavy lake effect snow, reaching 1 to 3 feet in some areas, along with strong winds up to 65 mph, is expected.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo warns of significant blowing and drifting snow, leading to difficult to impossible travel conditions over the weekend.

A high wind warning is also in effect for Rochester and parts of western and central New York, with gusts up to 50-65 mph expected through Saturday night.

Buffalo Bills vs. Pittsburgh Steelers playoff game postponed

The NFL, Buffalo Bills, New York State, and Erie County officials on Saturday postponed the AFC wild-card game between the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers to Monday at 4:30 p.m. due to the forecasted dangerous weather in Buffalo. The was scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.

C ontact Robert Bell at: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @byrobbell & Instagram:  @ byrobbell. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester NY Weather: Travel bans issued on NY Thruway, Erie County

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Travel advisories in place in some Western NY areas

A few travel bans issued in some locations around Western New York due to weather conditions have been reduced to advisories.

Travel advisories are in effect in the following locations:

• Niagara Falls
• City of Buffalo

Niagara County Sheriff Filicetti has lifted their travel advisory, but still urges people to use caution while traveling.

The Erie County Department of Public Works emphasizes to avoid unnecessary driving and says their crews started to clean residential areas as the snow began to subside.

City of Buffalo plows will continue to clean up the strees throughout the night and into tomorrow.

The advisories and bans are in effect until further notice.

Click here  for updates on travel advisories and closings.

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UPDATED: Current WNY travel bans and advisories

A State of Emergency has been declared in Erie County. More info here.

Cleanup efforts continue Wednesday. Residents are being reminded by county officials not to drive in ban areas. It will hinder the work of heavy equipment operators working to clear the areas of snow.

CLOSURES (PER NITTEC ):

• Rte. 5 Eastbound - Closed at Tifft Street to I-190 (3.2 miles).
• Rte. 5 Westbound - Closed from I-190 to Tift St.
• Rte 400 Southbound - Closed from I-90 to Olean Rd. 
• Rte 400 Northbound - Closed from Olean Rd to I-90 (15.0 miles).
• Rte 219 Northbound - Closed from Rte 39 to Ridge Rd.
• Rte 219 Southbound - Closed from I-90 to Rte 39.
• I-90 Westbound - Closed from Exit 46 (Henrietta) to PA line.
• I-90 Eastbound - Closed from PA line to Exit 46 (Henrietta).
• Ramp I-290W to I-190S - Closed
• I-290 Eastbound - Closed at Exit 6 (Sheridan Drive) to I-90 (1.9 miles).
• I-190 Southbound - Closed from Exit 16 (I-290) to I-90
• Rte 20 Eastbound, Silver Creek to Irving, in Town of Hanover is closed to commercial traffic

ADVISORIES:

• Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Wyoming and contiguous counties - State of Emergency
• Northern Cattaraugus County - Travel Advisory
• Genesee County - Travel Advisory
• Town of Newstead - Travel Advisory
• Village of Akron - Travel Advisory
• City of Dunkirk - Travel Advisory
• Brant - Travel Ban
• Town of Boston - Travel Ban
• Eden - Travel Ban
• Sloan - Travel Ban
• Corfu - Travel Ban
• Darien - Limited Travel Ban
• East Aurora - Travel Ban
• Aurora - Travel Ban
• Alden - Travel Ban
• West Seneca - Travel Ban
• Orchard Park - Travel Ban
• Cheektowaga - Travel Ban south of Genesee Street
• Village of Lancaster - Travel Ban
• Village of Depew - Travel Ban - Transit, Walden and Broadway shut down. More than 100 cars stranded
• City of Lackawanna - Travel Ban
• Town of Marilla - Travel Ban
• Town of Elma - Travel Ban
• Town of Evans - Travel Ban
• Town of Hamburg - Travel Ban
• Village of Blasdell - Travel Ban
• Buffalo - Travel Ban in South Buffalo, everything south of Clinton Street

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Coming to Alabama: Newsom’s Abortion-Access Ad, Depicting an Arrest

The ad portrays a woman trying to leave the state to have an abortion. The Campaign for Democracy, a political action committee started by Mr. Newsom, the California governor, created it.

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By Neil Vigdor

• April 21, 2024

A woman nervously peers into her rearview mirror as a patrolman activates his car’s lights and sirens. She is less than a mile from leaving Alabama to seek abortion services, but it’s too late: The next thing she knows, she is being handed a pregnancy test and is handcuffed.

The encounter is depicted in an unvarnished new television ad called “Fugitive.” The Campaign for Democracy, a political action committee created by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Democrat of California, produced the ad.

It will appear on Monday in Alabama, where Republicans have called for prosecuting women who travel elsewhere for an abortion. The state’s abortion ban, one of the nation’s strictest, outlaws the procedure at all stages of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape and incest.

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Alabama’s attorney general, Steve Marshall, a Republican, has clashed with the Justice Department and abortion assistance providers over whether the state has the authority to prosecute individuals or groups that help women leave the state to have the procedure.

Last month, Republicans introduced a bill in the Alabama House that would make it a misdemeanor to harbor or transport a minor to seek abortion services.

Mr. Newsom has emerged as a key surrogate for President Biden while harboring future White House ambitions of his own. He has regularly skirmished with G.O.P. governors and Republican-led states over abortion access, immigration, crime and other issues.

While Republicans have seized on crossings at the southern border in their messaging, Democrats have harnessed the issue of abortion-access after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. It helped propel Democratic candidates to key victories during the midterm elections in 2022 and in races last year.

In February, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos were people with rights, casting a cloud of uncertainty over in vitro fertilization. The state later passed a law giving I.V.F. clinics criminal and civil immunity, but it did not address whether embryos have the legal status of human beings.

In another seismic ruling, the Arizona Supreme Court this month upheld an 1864 law that bans nearly all abortions. The decision could have far-reaching consequences for women’s health care and election-year politics in the state, a critical political battleground.

Mr. Newsom said in a social media post at the time that California, which borders Arizona, would provide a refuge for women affected by the decision.

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Neil Vigdor covers politics for The Times, focusing on voting rights issues and election disinformation. More about Neil Vigdor