Erie slammed with lake effect snow, Shapiro declares disaster emergency; dangerous cold forecast into next week
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Some portions of Erie County were under almost 3 feet of snow Saturday in the middle of the hectic holiday travel and shopping weekend, with a forecast of frigid temperatures to start off the week.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a proclamation of disaster emergency. Shapiro said parts of Erie County in northwestern Pennsylvania had already received nearly 3 feet of snow with more expected through Monday night.
He said state emergency, police and transportation teams had been on the ground overnight to help to any stranded drivers “and make sure emergency responders can get to folks who need them.”
ATVs and snowmobiles were being placed around the county to help first responders if necessary, said Gregory Butcher, Erie County deputy director for preparedness and homeland security.
State police responded to nearly 200 incidents during the 24-hour period from 6 a.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday, officials said.
The heavy snow had officials warning of dangerous conditions for Thanksgiving travelers trying to return home.
Anywhere from 6 to 15 inches more snow is expected to return to the region around Lake Erie late Sunday into Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
“Travel will be extremely difficult and hazardous this weekend, especially in areas where multiple feet of snow may accumulate very quickly,” the NWS said.
Part of Interstate 90 in Pennsylvania was closed, as were westbound lanes of the New York Thruway heading toward Pennsylvania.
With roads in some parts impassable in northwestern Pennsylvania, scores of people took refuge overnight in the lobby and hallways of a fully booked Holiday Inn near I-90. Hotel staffer Jeremiah Weatherley said dozens of people rolled in as the snow piled up, and workers opened the conference room and gave them blankets to sleep on the floor.
“It was hard to manage, but we had no choice,” he said. “They just showed up, and we don’t want to turn people away.”
Weatherley was handing out bagels, juice and cereal Saturday morning as people helped one another dig out their cars from the snow.
“Everyone helped each other,” he said. “It was pretty cool.”
Frigid air is expected to move over the eastern third of the U.S. by Monday, with temperatures about 10 degrees below average.
Such heavy snow was not forecast to come farther south, into Southwestern Pennsylvania, but the cold temperatures are anticipated.
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 6 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.”
The Buffalo Bills called for volunteers to potentially shovel snow at Highmark Stadium, where over 2 feet of snow was possible before Sunday night’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Last year, a major lake-effect storm forced the NFL to push back the Bills wild-card playoff home game against Pittsburgh from Sunday to Monday.