As the Thanksgiving holiday draws to a close, New York State in the United States is experiencing heavy snowfall and low temperatures brought on by the “lake effect” phenomenon. With the continuous onslaught of heavy snow, nine states in the US have issued warnings and recommendations regarding winter weather and storms. Meanwhile, frigid weather is set to sweep across large parts of the country.
According to media reports, as of Sunday (December 1st), Michigan, Alaska, New York, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Vermont, Minnesota, West Virginia, and Virginia have all issued winter weather alerts.
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for 11 counties, including the Buffalo area, on Saturday (November 30th). Hochul warned that another round of heavy snowfall is expected in western and central New York from Sunday night to Monday, with snowfall rates in some areas reaching up to 4 inches per hour. She also stated that in addition to National Guard members, additional personnel have been deployed to help address potential power and road emergency situations.
In Pennsylvania, Governor Josh Shapiro issued a disaster emergency proclamation and deployed the National Guard to Erie County to rescue drivers trapped by heavy snow. Shapiro mentioned that between Friday (November 29th) and Saturday (November 30th) alone, Pennsylvania authorities dealt with over two hundred traffic accidents.
According to the US National Weather Service, nearly 70% of the country will continue to experience sub-zero cold weather in the coming days. Cities such as New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Cincinnati are expected to have temperatures below average for the entire week, posing significant challenges for road travel and public mobility.