Buffalo, New York — Areas downwind of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, including Buffalo, New York, are once again being battered by heavy lake-effect snow.
The accumulations will continue to be measured in feet as arctic air flows over the Great Lakes, which are still almost completely ice-free.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, the center of these snow bands is predicted to have very high snowfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour.
This will cause a big event with isolated storm total accumulations of 3 feet or more.
There was 3 inches of snowfall in 34 minutes at Buffalo International Airport late Wednesday morning, with a rate of more than 5 inches per hour. Lackawana, New York received over 30 inches of snow in the last 24 hours alone.
Officials in Erie County, New York, declared multiple travel bans early Wednesday morning due to the significant snowfall. According to County Executive Mark Poloncarz, several towns' roadways were closed, including Hamburg, Orchard Park, and Lancaster.
This led to the closure of all county and city offices in Buffalo for the day. Three storm-related deaths have been reported in Erie County so far, according to local authorities.
Snowplow footage shot early Wednesday morning outside Buffalo revealed the "very difficult conditions" that any driver would encounter, with road signs nearly hidden under the pileup.
follow for more