New York, Michigan brace for lake-effect snow that could snarl travel and disrupt football

The first big snow of the season threatened to bury towns in New York along lakes Erie and Ontario during a hectic holiday travel and shopping weekend.In Michigan, heavy lake-effect snow in northern parts of the state was expected to continue into the weekend, according to the National Weather Service in Gaylord.Some areas of the Upper Peninsula could see up to 3 feet of snow Sunday night through to Monday, National Weather Service meteorologist Lily Chapman said.As flakes began flying Friday, New York state forecasters warned 4 to 6 feet of blowing and drifting snow could fall in Watertown and other areas east of Lake Ontario through Monday.After an unusually mild fall, as much as 2 to 3 feet of snow were possible along Lake Erie and south of Buffalo from lake-effect bands notorious for pummeling the region with snowfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour.Lake-effect snow happens when warm moist air rising from a body of water mixes with cold dry air overhead.“The lake is 50 degrees.We’re about six degrees above where we should be this time of year, that’s why we’re seeing these heavy lake-effect events,” Erie County Public Works Commissioner William Geary said.

“The outlook for the next two weeks into December, we’ll probably see some more.”New York Gov.Kathy Hochul declared a disaster emergency for the targeted counties, allowing state agencies to mobilize resources.Rapidly deteriorating conditions Friday caused closures along Interstate 90, and tandem and commercial vehicles were banned from Interstate 86 in western New York and much of state Route 219 beginning Friday afternoon.“There’s a considerable number of vehicles going off the road on the 219 currently,” Gregory Butcher, Erie County deputy director for preparedness and homeland security, said at an afternoon briefing.ATVs and snowmobiles were being placed around the county to help first responders if necessary, Butcher said.The Buffalo Bills called for volunteers to potentially sho...