leroy ny travel ban

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

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.

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.

With more snow on the way, State of Emergency and travel advisory still in effect for Erie County

A State of Emergency and travel advisory in Erie County continue to be in effect due to a second round of lake effect snow expected to hit the area Wednesday morning.

1-2 feet of lake effect snow is expected to fall in the region. Some localized accumulations could reach 3 feet.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz a driving ban could be issued if conditions worsen.

“It's not just so that we can clear roads, people think we put a driving ban in there just to make their lives miserable, so we can get out there and clear roads, that is not the case,” he said. “A driving ban is put in place because it is too dangerous. And that we do it to protect the safety of the public. And it is not done lightly. I do not want to have to put a driving ban in effect unless I have to. And that's what we're looking at with regards to this upcoming storm, is that it does not appear it will be sufficient enough at least immediately, to issue a driving ban countywide. But it may require it for a particular municipality and then that decision is made in consultation with the municipality. One other thing though, every municipality leader, supervisor for towns and mayors for cities and villages have the power to declare their own state of emergency and put in effect their own driving ban.”

Polocarz is also strongly encouraging employers to have their non-essential employees work from home Wednesday and Thursday.

“This reminds me of the old Bethlehem Steel days where they had to have someone there to ensure the basic oxygen furnaces continued because if they shut them down they’d break,” he said. “In a driving ban situation in a snowstorm the tier-one employees so to speak, are the only ones that are really authorized to drive and those are Public Works. That includes sewers and water, as well as the plow drivers and all the emergency services; law enforcement, all those regarding life saving like hospitals and nursing homes where they have to have staff there otherwise people can die.”

And Poloncarz says there is a distinction between essential and non-essential workers.

“Your Tim Hortons is not essential,” he said. “Your Amazon is not essential. Your Joe's Manufacturing site is not essential. If they need to have an engineer or somebody there so that the place doesn't break down. We understand that and that's why they need to reach out to emergency services. We had some requests from employees that worked for Tim Hortons, saying they were told they had to come in because they're essential and Hortons is not essential. I know people want their cup of coffee. But when a driving ban is happening, and snow is falling had three to five inches an hour, people don't need to get to work to work at a Tim Hortons.”

More information on storm preparedness can be found on the county website .

All Erie County travel bans have been lifted, travel advisory remains in place for entire county

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The travel bans that were put in place in Erie County on Wednesday due to the heavy lake effect snow were all lifted as of 8 a.m. Thursday.

Although the travel bans have been lifted, the entire county remains under a travel advisory until 7 p.m. Thursday.

The City of Buffalo is lifting its travel ban effective 8AM. All of Erie County will now be under a travel advisory, as lake effect snow will continue through 7PM today. NYS will be evaluating the commercial driving ban on the 90 later this morning. pic.twitter.com/bBRNSsseQZ — Mark Poloncarz (@markpoloncarz) January 18, 2024

The travel ban that was in place for the City of North Tonawanda was lifted at 8 p.m. on Wednesday. A travel advisory will remain in place until noon Thursday.

The New York State Thruway lifted the commercial vehicle driving ban on the I-90 at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday.

Route 219 also reopened on Thursday morning.

An On-Street Parking Ban remains in effect in the Village of Blasdell until Saturday morning.

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Welcome to Erie County, NY

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz » ERIE COUNTY UPDATES TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS AS OF FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18 AT 8 A.M.

ERIE COUNTY UPDATES TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS AS OF FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18 AT 8 A.M.

Modified: November 18, 2022 12:00pm

Latest News

Travel Advisory in effect for City of Buffalo and Towns of Brant, Colden, Collins, Concord, Holland, North Collins and Sardinia

ERIE COUNTY, NY— Following continued reviews of road conditions and weather forecasts, Erie County has updated its travel restrictions as of 8 a.m. on Friday, November 18.

The City of Buffalo and the Towns of Brant, Colden, Collins, Concord, Holland, North Collins and Sardinia are now under a Travel Advisory. Link to updated map .

The City of Tonawanda and the Towns of Amherst, Clarence, Newstead and Grand Island were shifted to a Travel Advisory as of 6 a.m. this morning.

Due to treacherous road conditions and expected heavy snowfall, a Travel Ban remains in effect for the remainder of Erie County, as shown on this map.

New York Lifts Travel Ban for Bills Snow Shovelers

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — New York has lifted the travel ban in Erie County, but only for snow shovelers who will help dig out Highmark Stadium ahead of the Bills-Steelers game on Monday. With an expected five to eight more inches of snow, it will require an overnight effort to fully dig the stadium and the stands where the fans will sit.

The full travel ban is expected to be lifted at 6:00 a.m. Even at kickoff, it will be frigid, with the wind chill reaching near zero degrees or even below that. Winds will still be howling up near 20 miles per hour, and there is a chance for some flurries to drop during the game.

All areas other than Lackawanna, Lancaster, Cheektowaga, Depew, and Sloan will have the travel ban lifted at 6:00 a.m. They are authorizing snow shovelers to help out the stadium to ensure the safety of public on Monday.

But even playing the game will require the help of those snow shovelers. The Bills are inviting the first 200 shovelers into the stadium to help out, and they will pay those people $20 per hour to help with the efforts . Those wanting to help must be over 18 with proper identification or under 18 with the proper working papers to be allowed to help out in the efforts.

The Thruway remains closed to access the stadium, along with Routes 219, 400, and 5, and so the stadium will have tobe accessed by Route 20 or Abbott Road.

The Steelers’ arrival was delayed by just over 24 hours after a state of emergency in New York forced the game to be rescheduled from 1 p.m. on Sunday to 4:30 p.m. on Monday. They arrived safely this afternoon. Meanwhile, the Bills were scheduled to have meetings, but told players to stay home with the travel bans in effect.

In the area where the Bills stadium, Highmark Stadium, is located, gusts were up to 50 miles per hour, with six inches of snow coming down each hour. While original estimates for snowfall were between one and three feet, the actual number will land between three and four feet of snow in those areas.

Want more articles like this? Follow Steelers Now on MSN to see more of our exclusive NFL content.

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WNY News Now

FULL TRAVEL BAN IN ERIE COUNTY BEGINNING 9 P.M. SATURDAY AHEAD OF POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS

(WNY News Now) – Buffalo, NY – Governor Kathy Hochul and local authorities today announced that a full travel ban for passenger vehicles will be in effect for all of Erie County beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday to give plow crews time and space to clear roads during the overnight hours. This ban will be reassessed at 6…

(WNY News Now) – Buffalo, NY – Governor Kathy  Hochul   and  local authorities today announced that a full travel ban for passenger vehicles will be in effect for all of Erie County beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday to give plow crews time and space to clear roads during the overnight hours. This ban will be reassessed at 6 a.m. on Sunday. Additionally, all commercial traffic will be banned on all State, County and local roads in Erie County and on the New York State Thruway between Exit 46 and the Pennsylvania State Line beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday as well. This ban will remain in effect indefinitely.

“Forecasts predict the most dangerous winter storm conditions since the Christmas Blizzard of 2022,”  Governor  Hochul  said.  “Working closely with County and City leaders, we are instituting a 9:00  p.m.  travel ban that takes effect tonight to keep motorists safe.”  

New Yorkers in Western New York are being urged to stay home throughout the duration of the storm. Travel in impacted areas will be impossible and dangerous at times throughout the weekend due to life-threatening blizzard-like conditions. After consulting with State officials, the NFL has decided to postpone the Bills-Steelers playoff game until 4:30  p.m.  on Monday, January 15.   New Yorkers are also encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts by subscribing to NY Alert at  https://alert.ny.gov , a free service providing critical emergency information to your cell phone or computer.     

A widespread 1-2 feet of heavy lake effect snow is forecast to impact areas near Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, including the cities of Buffalo and Watertown, with isolated, higher amounts possible and snowfall rates reaching three inches per hour at times starting Saturday night and continuing through Sunday morning. Winds will be strong in parts of Western NY with gusts up to 65 mph Saturday night and sustained winds of up to 40 mph on all day Sunday, while areas near Lake Ontario, including Jefferson, Lewis, and Oswego counties, will see winds gusting as high as 50 mph through Monday. Potentially life-threatening conditions are expected including damaging winds, heavy lake effect snow, and frigid wind chills in the single digits starting Saturday night and continuing through to the middle of the week. For a complete listing of weather alerts and forecasts, visit the National Weather Service website at  https://alerts.weather.gov

On Friday, Governor  Hochul  declared a State of Emergency to warn and prepare New Yorkers for potentially dangerous and life-threatening weather forecasted to impact communities along Lake Erie and Lake Ontario with blizzard-like conditions. The State of Emergency applies to the following counties: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego, Wyoming.

Travel Ban for Empty Trucks/Trailers and All Tandem Trucks

The current ban on all empty trucks/trailers and all tandem trucks remains in effect on the following routes:  

• I-90 Exit 46 – State of Pennsylvania line
• I-190 (South of the North Grand Island Bridge)
• Buffalo Skyway (NY 5)
• I-190 (North of the North Grand Island Bridge)
• Kensington Expressway (NY 33)
• I-86 in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties

Warming Shelters

At 5 p.m. today, New York State will open and will operate warming shelters with cots, pillows, and blankets, as well as mental health counselors at each site for assistance with using facilities. NY National Guard and the New York State Incident Management Team will operate the site:

• Erie Community College (South Campus), 121 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203
• Windom Elementary School, 3870 Sheldon Rd, Orchard Park, NY 14127
• Orchard Park Middle School, 60 South Lincoln Ave, Orchard Park, NY 14127

The City of Buffalo will open shelters in the city this afternoon – more information  here .  New York State will provide water and MREs for both state and city warming shelters.

Search and Rescue

New York has surged additional search and rescue resources to Western New York in response to this storm including:

• 33 State-tracked vehicles
• 25 military vehicles

Additional resources are staged outside the storm area ready to deploy if needed, and the state is coordinating with the County to engage the snowmobile clubs for additional assistance as well.

Agency Activities

New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

The Division has activated the State’s Emergency Operations Center in Albany to coordinate the State’s response throughout the severe weather event. The Office of Emergency Management is in contact with local counterparts and is prepared to facilitate requests for assistance, and State stockpiles are staffed and ready to deploy emergency response assets and shelter supplies as needed.

The State Fire Mobilization and Mutual Aid Plan is activated and the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control has 24 personnel and various types of emergency response vehicles staged at the Buffalo Airport. The New York State Incident Management Team was deployed to Western New York in advance of the storm to assist with emergency management-related tasks.

Division of Military and Naval Affairs

The New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs is mobilizing 100 Soldiers and Airmen with 25 vehicles from the New York National Guard to provide general support to Western New York.

New York State Department of Transportation

The State Department of Transportation is actively responding to this statewide weather event with more than 3,700 operators and supervisors available statewide. Staff can be configured into any type of response crews that are needed (flood response, chipper, load & haul, sewer jet, cut & toss, traffic signal, etc.). All residencies in impacted  locations will remain staffed for 24/7 operations with operators, supervisors, and mechanics throughout the duration of the event and priority cleanup operations.

In addition to existing resources, the Department has deployed 74 staff, including 54 additional operators, 11 supervisors, six equipment trainers, two Incident Command Support specialists and one safety representative to Western New York, along with 25 large snowplows, three large  snowblowers , two loaders and a grader. Additionally, four traffic signal technicians are being deployed to the Finger Lakes region. 

Statewide assets are as follows:

• 1,599 large plows
• 337 loaders
• 148 medium plows
• 82 wheeled and tracked excavators
• 52 tow plows
• 37 snow blowers
• 32 traffic signal trucks
• 23 pickup trucks with plows
• 13 tree crew bucket trucks

For real-time travel information, motorists should call 511 or visit  https://www.511ny.org  or the mobile site at  m.511ny.org , New York State’s official traffic and travel information source.

Thruway Authority

The Thruway Authority is ready to respond to the lake effect winter storm in Western New York with more than 700 operators and supervisors available statewide. The Authority is shifting additional staff and snow fighting equipment from the Syracuse, Albany, and New York Divisions to support snow and ice operations in Western New York throughout the weekend. Staff is currently monitoring the storm track and additional operators and equipment are on standby and will be deployed if conditions warrant.

Statewide equipment numbers and resources are listed below:

• 364 large and medium duty plow trucks
• 10 tow plows
• Approximately 120,000 tons of salt on hand

Variable Message Signs and social media are utilized to alert motorists of winter weather conditions on the Thruway. 

The Thruway Authority encourages motorists to download its  mobile app  which is available for free on iPhone and Android devices. The app provides motorists direct access to real-time traffic information, live traffic cameras, and navigation assistance while on the go. Motorists can also sign up for  TRANSalert  e-mails and follow  @ ThruwayTraffic  on X for the latest traffic conditions along the Thruway.

Department of Public Service

Electric utility companies regulated by the Department of Public Service will have approximately 11,000 workers available statewide to engage in response, repair and restoration efforts for this weekend’s winter weather event. Below is a breakdown of utility internal workers and external contract workers secured for this latest winter weather event.

• Con Edison: 750 workers including 100 external contract line workers for its Bronx / Westchester Operating Division.
• Orange & Rockland: 270 workers.
• NYSEG/RG&E: 4,358 total workers including secured/maintained 2,630 external line workers and 436 external tree workers.
• National Grid: 4,362 total workers including secured/maintained 2,069 external line workers and 382 external tree workers.
• PSEGLI: 1,134 workers.
• Central Hudson: 135 workers.

The utilities’ emergency response plans remain activated and will be reactivating their incident command structures to track response, damage assessment, repair, and restoration efforts throughout the event. DPS staff will track utilities’ work throughout the event and ensure utility companies shift appropriate staffing to regions that experience the greatest impact. If your service is interrupted, visit the DPS Utility Service Interruptions  website for tips.  

New York State Police

State Police continues to monitor weather conditions and is deploying additional Troopers to impacted areas as needed. All State Police four-wheel drive and specialized vehicles, including snowmobiles, airboats, and utility terrain vehicles are staged and necessary equipment is being utilized for immediate response as needed. All emergency power and communications equipment are functioning appropriately. 

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

DEC Emergency Management staff, Environmental Conservation Police Officers, Forest Rangers, and regional staff remain on alert and continue to monitor the developing situation and weather forecasts. DEC is coordinating resource deployment with agency partners and all available assets to targeted areas in preparation for potential impacts due to rain, snow, and high winds, including swift water rescue teams and sawyers.  

DEC reminds those responsible for the removal and disposal of snow to follow best management practices to help prevent flooding and reduce the potential for pollutants like salt, sand, oils, trash, and other debris in snow from affecting water quality. Disposal of snow in local creeks and streams can create ice dams which may cause flooding in nearby areas. Public and private snow removal operators should be aware of these safety issues during and after winter storms. Additional information is available at  https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/ docs/water_pdf/togs5111new.pdf .     

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

New York State Park Police and park personnel are on alert and closely monitoring weather conditions and impacts. Response equipment is being fueled, tested, and prepared for storm response use. State Parks has sawyer crews in Western New York and the North Country on standby for deployment for potential road clearing operations.

Safety Tips

Winter Weather

• Service snow removal equipment. Use rock salt to melt ice on walkways, and sand to generate traction.
• Winterize your home and have heating sources inspected annually.
• If you use heating oil, maintain an adequate supply.
• Have safe, emergency heating equipment available and use according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Install and check smoke alarms.
• Protect water pipes from freezing.

Traveling in Winter Weather

Some of the most important tips for safe driving include:

• Do not drive unless necessary.
• If you must travel, make sure your car is stocked with survival gear like blankets, a shovel, flashlight and extra batteries, extra warm clothing, set of tire chains, battery booster cables, quick energy foods and brightly colored cloth to use as a distress flag.
• If you have a cell phone or other communications device such as a two-way radio available for your use, keep the battery charged and keep it with you whenever traveling. If you should become stranded, you will be able to call for help, advising rescuers of your location.
• The leading cause of death and injuries during winter storms is transportation accidents. Before getting behind the wheel, make sure that your vehicle is clear of ice and snow; good vision is key to good driving. Plan your stops and keep more distance between cars. Be extra alert and remember that snowdrifts can hide smaller children. Always match your speed to the road and weather conditions.
• It is important for motorists on all roads to note that snowplows travel at speeds up to 35 mph, which in many cases is lower than the posted speed limit, to ensure that salt being dispersed stays in the driving lanes and does not scatter off the roadways. Oftentimes on interstate highways, snowplows will operate side by side, as this is the most efficient and safe way to clear several lanes at one time.
• Motorists and pedestrians should also keep in mind that snowplow drivers have limited lines of sight, and the size and weight of snowplows can make it very  difficult to maneuver and stop quickly. Snow blowing from behind the plow can severely reduce visibility or cause whiteout conditions. Motorists should not attempt to pass snowplows or follow too closely. The safest place for motorists to drive is well behind the snowplows where the roadway is clear and salted. Never attempt to pass a snowplow while its operating.

Power Outages

• If you use medication that requires refrigeration, most can be kept in a closed refrigerator for several hours without a problem – check with your physician or pharmacist.
• If you have space in your refrigerator or freezer, consider filling plastic containers with water, leaving an inch of space inside each one –this will help keep food cold if the power goes out.
• Plan to have an alternative cooking source, such as a camp stove or outdoor grill.  Follow appropriate safety rules for its use outside the residence.
• Consider buying a generator and follow the rules for using it outside the residence.  Before installing a generator, be sure to properly disconnect from your utility electrical service. If possible, have your generator installed by a qualified electrician.
• Have extra blankets, coats, hats, and gloves on hand to keep warm.
• If you have a computer, back up files and operating systems regularly.  Turn off all computers, monitors, and other devices when they are not being used.
• If you have an electric garage door opener, locate the manual release level, and learn how to operate.
• If you have a telephone instrument or system that requires electricity to work, plan for alternate communication such as a standard tele-phone handset, cellular telephone, or radio.

What to Do If the Power Goes Out

• Turn off or disconnect major appliances and other equipment, e.g., computers, in case of a momentary power surge that can damage these devices. Keep one light turned on so you know when power returns. Consider using surge protectors wherever you use electronic equipment.
• Call your utility provider to notify them of the outage and listen to local broadcasts for official information. Check with your utility to determine area repair schedules.
• Check to see if neighbors and those with access or functional needs have power.
• Use only flashlights for emergency lighting – candles pose the risk of fire.
• Keep refrigerators and freezer doors closed – most food requiring refrigeration can be kept safely in a closed refrigerator for several hours. An unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for approximately four (4) hours. A full freezer will keep the temperature for about 48 hours.
• Do not use a charcoal grill indoors and do not use a gas stove for heat – they could give off harmful levels of carbon monoxide.
• Stay warm by dressing in layers and minimizing time spent outdoors. Be aware of cold stress symptoms (i.e., hypothermia) and seek proper medical attention if symptoms appear.
• Close off rooms you do not need.

To Report an Electric Outage, Call:

• Central Hudson: 800-527-2714
• Con Edison: 800-752-6633
• National Grid: 800-867-5222
• NYSEG: 800-572-1131
• O&R: 877-434-4100
• PSEG-LI: 800-490-0075
• RG&E: 800-743-1701

Heating Safety

• Use only safe sources of alternative heat such as a fireplace, small well-vented wood or coal stove or portable space heaters.
• When using alternative heat sources such as a fireplace, woodstove, etc. always make sure you have proper ventilation. Always follow manufacturer’s instructions.
• Keep curtains, towels, and potholders away from hot surfaces.
• Have a fire extinguisher and smoke detectors and make sure they work.

If you use kerosene heaters to supplement your regular heating fuel, or as an emergency source of heat, follow these safety tips:

• Follow the manufacturers’ instructions.
• Use only the correct fuel for your unit.
• Refuel outdoors only and only when the unit is cool.
• Keep the heater at least three feet away from furniture and other flammable objects.
• When using the heater, use fire safeguards and ventilate properly.
• Learn the safest route from your home or business to high, safe ground should you have to leave in a hurry.
• Keep your vehicle fueled or charged. If electric power is cut off, gasoline stations may not be able to pump fuel for several days. Have a small disaster supply kit in the trunk of your car.
• Find out how many feet your property is above and below possible flood levels. When predicted flood levels are broadcast, you can determine if you may be flooded.
• Keep materials like sandbags, plywood, plastic sheeting and lumber handy for emergency waterproofing.

Travel Safety

• Flooding and damaging winds can make traveling dangerous.
• Never attempt to drive on a flooded road – go another way. Remember: “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”
• Six inches of swiftly moving water can cause you to lose control of your vehicle or knock you off your feet if walking.
• Do not underestimate the power of fast-moving water. Two feet of fast-moving flood water will float your car and water moving at two miles per hour can sweep cars off a road or bridge.
• If water begins to rise rapidly around you in your car, abandon the vehicle immediately.
• If water is rising inside the vehicle, seek refuge on the roof. Do not drive around road barriers.

For more winter safety tips, visit  https://dhses.ny.gov/ safety . For all non-emergency service needs in New York State before, during or after a storm, call 211 or visit  211nys.org .

About the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

The  Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES)  provides leadership, coordination, and support to prevent, protect against, prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate disasters and other emergencies. For more information, follow @NYSDHSES on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter) or visit  dhses.ny.gov .

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Florida Abortion Ban to Take Effect, Cutting Off Major Access Point

The state has dozens of clinics that serve tens of thousands of women a year, including from across the Southeast. The six-week ban will require most to travel much farther.

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By Patricia Mazzei

Reporting from Miami

Florida has long played a significant role in the American abortion landscape, with dozens of clinics providing the procedure to tens of thousands of residents a year while also taking in patients from across the Southeast.

That era will end, at least for now, on Wednesday, when a ban on most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy will take effect. The strict new law will replace a 15-week ban and require most Floridians and other Southerners seeking the procedure to travel to Virginia or farther.

Almost every other state in the region banned or sharply restricted abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022; many had few abortion providers even before the ruling. North Carolina still allows abortions up to 12 weeks , but with a 72-hour waiting period that makes it a less practical option for out-of-state patients.

“The surrounding states have been desperate to find a place to go within a reasonable distance,” said Kelly Flynn, the president and chief executive of A Woman’s Choice, a network of abortion clinics, including one in Jacksonville, Fla., “and we have been that place.”

Instead of the number of abortions in Florida decreasing after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the 15-week ban into law in April 2022, as proponents had hoped, it went up because more patients were coming from Southern states with more restrictions or near-total bans.

Florida, the third-largest state by population, has about 50 clinics and last year provided some 84,000 abortions; nearly 8,000 of them were for women from outside the state. Until July 2022, Florida allowed abortions until about 24 weeks.

“We don’t want to be an abortion tourism destination,” Mr. DeSantis, a Republican, said last year .

Lawmakers and Mr. DeSantis approved the six-week ban in April 2023, when the governor was preparing to run for president. His message to Republican primary voters focused on how he had reshaped Florida’s political identity , turning it from a swing state to a beacon of right-wing policy. His campaign failed , but the policies remained.

The six-week ban was conditioned on the Florida Supreme Court first upholding the 15-week ban, which abortion rights groups had challenged. The conservative court did so on April 1, starting a 30-day countdown for the six-week ban to become law.

The new law provides exceptions for abortions to take place up to 15 weeks for pregnancies that result from rape, incest or human trafficking, though women would be required to show documentation such as a restraining order, medical record or police report. There are also exceptions to save the life of the woman and, before the third trimester, for fatal fetal abnormalities.

The law also prohibits doctors from prescribing medication abortions through telehealth and dispensing the pills by mail. Medical professionals who violate any part of the ban could face criminal penalties.

Many women do not realize that they are pregnant by the sixth week, so backers of abortion rights say the new law will represent a near-total prohibition — exactly the shutdown of access that they worried would happen when Roe was overturned.

Unlike Florida, many Southern states had few abortion clinics left even before that ruling. When Texas, the nation’s second most populous state, banned the procedure at six weeks in 2021, it had about 20 clinics that provided about 50,000 abortions a year, significantly fewer than Florida.

The six-week ban is “going to protect thousands of unborn children,” said John Stemberger, the president of Liberty Counsel Action, an anti-abortion lobbying group.

He said Florida has almost 200 anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers, which sometimes provide pregnant women with ultrasounds and baby supplies. That is about four times the number of the state’s abortion clinics, which are mostly clustered around big cities. Mr. Stemberger said he has worked with anti-abortion groups to expand the centers’ capacities.

“There’s going to be an increased demand for their services,” he said. “We want to communicate to mothers who are abortion-minded that there are options.”

Abortion providers and nonprofit funds that help women pay for abortions in Florida have spent the last year preparing for this moment.

Between 2018 and 2023, about 60 percent of abortions in Florida happened after six weeks of pregnancy, according to state data .

Clinics are scheduling ultrasounds earlier and ramping up other health care services to try to stay open. Funds are training volunteers to plan travel for patients to Illinois, Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. (North Carolina is closer but its waiting period to get the procedure makes it a less feasible destination.)

All of the changes could prove temporary: A ballot measure in November will ask Florida voters whether to amend the constitution to allow abortions until about 24 weeks. It will require more than 60 percent support to pass, a high threshold, and it would not take effect until January, assuming that lawmakers or anti-abortion groups did not challenge it in court .

For now, Florida will have to adjust to being another Southern state where abortions are extremely rare.

“We’re going to be an abortion desert,” said Michelle Quesada, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida, which operates eight clinics in the state. (Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida operates another nine clinics.) “It’s going to be really challenging for patients.”

Ms. Quesada said that after the Florida Supreme Court ruling clinics called patients scheduled to be seen in May and moved up their appointments. Out-of-state patients have been sent as far south as Miami — more than 600 miles from the Georgia and Alabama borders — because wait times in Tallahassee and Jacksonville, in the northern part of the state, have been two or three weeks, she added.

In the last year, abortion clinics have added other services, including prenatal care and adoption referrals. They have also seen an increase in patients requesting contraception, Ms. Quesada said, including vasectomies for men in their 30s and 40s.

Dr. Marian Sampson, an obstetrician and gynecologist who provides abortions for Planned Parenthood’s clinics in Fort Myers and Naples, on Florida’s Gulf Coast, said that over the past two weeks, “pretty much every appointment slot is double booked every day.”

Inevitably, clinics will be far less busy under the six-week ban, said Nikki Madsen, the co-executive director of the Abortion Care Network, a national association of independent abortion clinics that had 36 members in Florida as of last year.

“The number of patients those clinics will see will drastically plummet,” she said. “When a clinic closes, it’s incredibly difficult to reopen.”

Clinics and abortion funds said that, unlike in the months after Roe was overturned, they have not seen an uptick in contributions since the ruling allowing the six-week ban. That is most likely because donors are focused on funding the November ballot measure.

“While that is a positive thing if it passes, there’s a lot of time between May 1 and January when that would go into effect,” said McKenna Kelley, who is on the board of the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund. “We are doing the work day in and day out.”

Not only will it be more expensive for funds to help patients now that they have to also pay for their travel, but some people may find the plane travel that can be required overwhelming, said Jessica Hatem, the executive director of the Emergency Medical Assistance Abortion Fund in West Palm Beach. The fund was founded in 1972, pre-Roe, to help women in Florida go to New York for legal abortions.

“When we are sending people on a plane, generally it’s their first time flying,” she said. “When we’re sending Southerners to the North in the middle of winter, people don’t have coats.”

It is hard to predict just how much the number of abortions performed in Florida will drop after Wednesday, said Isaac Maddow-Zimet, a data scientist at the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research group that supports abortion rights.

Researchers found that abortions declined by about 50 percent in Texas and Georgia after those states’ six-week bans took effect. South Carolina had a much steeper drop-off — about 71 percent, he said — in part because so many women had been traveling there for abortions from other states. The South Carolina Supreme Court upheld a six-week ban law in August.

“Every state,” Mr. Maddow-Zimet said, “has ripple effects through every other state.”

Patricia Mazzei is the lead reporter for The Times in Miami, covering Florida and Puerto Rico. More about Patricia Mazzei