The number one trending search on Google Wednesday morning was simple but urgent: “What is happening with lake-effect snow in New York State?”

It’s the busiest travel day of the year, and people across Buffalo and Western New York are wondering what exactly is coming and when will the snow start, and how much are we really going to get when the lake-effect machine fires up over Lake Erie and Lake Ontario?

How Much Snow Will This Lake Effect Event Bring?

While snowfall totals are always uncertain, the National Weather Service in Buffalo, along with local meteorologists, report that this lake-effect snow event could bring 7 inches to several feet of snow before conditions begin to calm Friday afternoon.

Southtowns Yet Again in the Bull’s Eye

It always feels like Western New York gets a blast of wicked weather right around the holidays. And for those of us living in the Southtowns, it’s not exactly a new experience.

I live in the Hamburg/Boston area, and almost every year the first big snowfall sets up right over us. It’s not unusual for these bands off Lake Erie to dump multiple feet of snow in a matter of hours. In fact, it was less than ten years ago that one of the largest lake-effect storms on record buried our region under several feet of snow.

Western New Yorkers Are Prepared

This time, we’re ready for whatever Mother Nature has planned. We’ve stocked up on essentials, generators, snow shovels, warm clothing and everything needed to ride out a long duration storm if it comes to that.

However, according to the latest forecasts, temperatures should warm up heading into the weekend, and much of the snow may melt by next week. The extended outlook suggests colder, more winter-like conditions returning as we enter December, which means we may be settling into a consistent wintry pattern soon.

Find a Winter Hobby

I always tell people that if you live in Western New York and don’t like winter, you need a winter hobby. Skiing, sledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, hiking, there are countless ways to make the season not just tolerable but genuinely enjoyable.

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Stay Safe, Stay Warm, and Happy Thanksgiving

Enjoy your time with friends and family this Thanksgiving! Hopefully this lake-effect snowstorm doesn’t disrupt your plans too much, but do be prepared. If you’re traveling, expect difficult and potentially dangerous conditions when the lake-effect bands intensify. Stay safe out there and welcome to winter in WNY.

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Gallery Credit: Brett Alan