Buffalo and areas of western New York are under threat of flooding following a blitz of snow that brought mountains of precipitation to the city of nearly 260,000 people. About seven feet of snow fell in the area over a period of just three days, burying the city in historic levels of the frozen covering.
At least 13 people have died so far in the storms, which some people are describing as a "Snowmageddon." Over 30 major roof collapses have been recorded in the Buffalo area, along with collapses at roughly 90 smaller structures. Others are expected as rain weighs down roofs already heavily strained by record amounts of snow.
According to the National Weather Service, temperatures will stay above freezing through Monday and will rise steadily, getting into the 50s on Sunday and into the 60s on Monday, causing snow melt and runoff. Conditions in the city could be further complicated by frozen leaves under snow that could block drains.
Lake-effect snow drove precipitation, which also hit the Upper Peninsula of Michigan as well as northern Wisconsin. The Buffalo area received about a year's worth of snowfall in just three days.
Greatest snow accumulations were seen in Wales Center, which received 85 inches of snow between the pair of storms. The latest fatality from the extreme weather was a 68-year-old man, who died from cardiac arrest while clearing precipitation with a snowblower on Nov. 21.
"[This] flood watch in effect from Sunday afternoon through Wednesday morning... This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of western New York," the National Weather Service stated in a Hazardous Weather Outlook.
If the accumulated snow pack in Buffalo were to melt entirely, the resulting release of water would be equal to that of receiving six inches of rain. This excess water would likely flood streams and basements across the city, which neighbors Lake Erie. Even areas which do not experience flooding from melting snow could experience potentially dangerous water levels.
"At first the snowpack will absorb much of the water of the snow melt. However, as the snowpack ripens, and with the addition of a half-inch or so of rainfall Sunday night and Monday... The potential for flooding will rapidly increase," the National Weather Service stated in a flood watch issued on Nov. 22.
Travel was not permitted during the worst of the snowstorm. A 132-mile stretch of the New York State Thruway that had been closed was reopened Friday, Nov. 20, and on Nov. 18, the Buffalo Police Department banned motorized travel in the southern parts of the city. However, reopened roads allowed food into the city, made it possible for rescue workers and heavy equipment mobilized from across the state to reach the city, and allowed workers to remove abandoned vehicles from side streets. In addition, a Buffalo Bills NFL football game scheduled for Sunday was canceled because of unsafe travel conditions and moved to an out-of-town location -- it will be played in Detriot on Monday evening.
Emergency workers are still clearing more than 1,800 miles of rural roads surrounding the city. There is a possibility the death count could rise if accident victims are found in the tremendous snow drifts.
