By SHIRLEY PULAWSKI
OBSERVER Staff Writer
Ongoing steady snow showers and accumulating snow are expected for the area beginning this afternoon.
A winter storm warning has been issued for 11 a.m. this morning through 4 p.m. Saturday. The majority of the accumulation is expected this evening through early Saturday afternoon. Heavy snow and blowing snow are expected to create hazardous conditions, and visibility may be reduced to a quarter of a mile at times, so travel is expected to be difficult.
Tom Paone of the National Weather Service in Buffalo said a mix of rain and snow should begin this morning across the region. As the day progresses, snow showers resulting in accumulation are expected inland in the afternoon, and early in the evening, steady snow is projected to hit areas near the lake.
"You'll get a mix of rain and snow in the morning, and gradually, all of that will turn into snow on Friday and into Saturday," Paone explained. "You won't get as much snow in Dunkirk as you will inland."
Paone said areas around the Chautauqua Ridge could receive a foot of snow or more, while areas along the lake may only receive 2 to 4 inches. "You'll have heavier accumulation in higher elevations, where the worst of it will be. ... What you get will depend a lot on where you are relative to the lake itself," he said.
Snow would remain steady through Friday night and into Saturday, according to Paone, and will not begin to wind down until Saturday night.
Comments on this article may be made to spulawski@observertoday.com.
