Heavy snow, high winds lead to travel bans in the North Country

Officials in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties are urging people to stay off roads as snow and high winds from the lake’s influence continue to hit the area.

Jefferson County, which has seen the heaviest snowfall, has issued a complete travel ban and a state of emergency. According to a county press release, “This means only limited travel that is essential to the protection and preservation of life and/or property.”

The Jefferson County Sheriff reported Saturday morning that between 75 and 100 vehicles were abandoned on the road or had people still inside them. Officers were working to bring stranded motorists to warm shelters.

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for Jefferson County and western St. Lawrence County, forecasting gusts of 35 to 50 mph.

Lawrence County declared a state of emergency until noon Saturday, prohibiting movement. Visibility is poor and road conditions are dangerous.

Lewis County was downgraded from a travel ban to a travel advisory on Saturday morning.

In a late Saturday morning weather forecast, Gov. Kathy Hochul described the snowstorm that hit the western part of the state as “one of the worst ever.”

Buffalo Niagara International Airport will be closed until Monday morning, and some roads will remain closed until Christmas Day, affecting some transportation in western New York, Hochul said.

As of Saturday morning, nearly all of Buffalo’s fire trucks were stranded and buried in snow, she said.

“No amount of emergency vehicles can survive the situation we’re talking about,” she said.

All vehicles are prohibited from Exit 46 (Henrietta) on the New York Thruway to the Pennsylvania border.

Authorities have urged residents to refrain from unsafe travel for holiday gatherings and instead stay home.

Jefferson County was also where residents experienced the most blackouts in the area. As of Saturday morning, approximately 4,000 National Grid customers were without power. National Grid said the company’s crews are battling “dangerous” blizzard conditions, especially in the Watertown area, as they work to repair downed power lines.

Jefferson County has opened warming shelters at Adams Fire Station, Henderson Fire Station, North Pole Fire Station, Chaumont Fire Station, Cape Vincent Fire Station, and Sackett’s Harbor Station.

In Franklin County, 1,125 customers lost power Sunday morning.

The powerful storm is expected to continue bringing lake-effect snow to the region, with more than 2 feet in Jefferson County through Sunday and another 6 inches to 2 feet in Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, according to the National Weather Service. of snow is expected. .

See a live view of Watertown’s Public Square.

The Associated Press contributed to this report