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[WNYroadgeek]

More than 100 motorists are stranded on the Thruway between Dunkirk and the Pennsylvania border, locked in by blowing snow since 1:30 a.m. when the Thruway closed.

State police have managed to make contact with many motorists, and "there are no medical emergencies at this time," one trooper told The Buffalo News.

Many motorists stuck in the snow have been in contact with state police by cell phone. State police on ATVs and Chautauqua County Sheriff's deputies on snowmobiles are trying to reach the stranded motorists.

"We can't get aviation up in the air because of the poor visibility. But anyone who knows of someone stranded with a serious medical condition should call our headquarters at 716-836-0240," State Police Capt. Michael P. Nigrelli told The Buffalo News.

"If folks have been touch with stranded loved ones having a medical emergency, they will go to the top of the list," he said. "Just try and provide us with a description of the car. Anything that we can zero in on them."

The Thruway was closed between Dunkirk and the Pennsylvania state line at 1:30 a.m. today, but not before a considerable number of vehicles were trapped on unpassable roads, Thruway police said. Some were still trapped at 8 a.m. Shortly after 9 a.m., the Thruway Authority reported that all lanes remained closed between exits 59 and 61, so motorists are urged to take alternate routes.

Police said reinforcements were called in to clear the highway, but that it remained unclear when the Thruway will reopen.

http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/890789.html

And a pic:

[Michael]

Ooh, not good.  I just moved to Auburn, and used to live in Weedsport.  My grandparent's house is north of Weedsport and the Thruway, and I always remember how different the snow cover was due to lake effect.  There'd be a lot of snow up north, and just a few inches just a mile south.  I'm thankful I didn't grow up any further north; Cato always gets hit hard!  Oswego is even worse!

Last winter, I drove in near my grandparent's house in a total whiteout.  It was so scary!  Fortunately, I didn't go in the ditch.

[Chris]

They expect up to 4 feet of snow until Saturday afternoon in the areas affected by the lake effect snow.

Snowfall is approaching 4 inches/hour in some areas, which is huge. Both the eastern shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario suffer from this snow.

[Dougtone]

Ooh, not good.  I just moved to Auburn, and used to live in Weedsport.  My grandparent's house is north of Weedsport and the Thruway, and I always remember how different the snow cover was due to lake effect.  There'd be a lot of snow up north, and just a few inches just a mile south.  I'm thankful I didn't grow up any further north; Cato always gets hit hard!  Oswego is even worse!

Last winter, I drove in near my grandparent's house in a total whiteout.  It was so scary!  Fortunately, I didn't go in the ditch.

I used to live in Oswego, and sometimes the lake effect snow could be bad, but it was usually worse a few miles inland.

[froggie]

Even in Clay, the lake effect could be bad.  I recall one winter where there was 41 days straight of measurable snow at Syracuse/Hancock Int'l Airport.  Nevermind that, on average, Syracuse is the snowiest city (generally those 100+K in population) in the US...about 50% more than Buffalo, believe it or not.  The really bad area is generally a box bounded by Oswego, Fulton, Brewerton, and Pulaski.

[Dougtone]

Even in Clay, the lake effect could be bad.  I recall one winter where there was 41 days straight of measurable snow at Syracuse/Hancock Int'l Airport.  Nevermind that, on average, Syracuse is the snowiest city (generally those 100+K in population) in the US...about 50% more than Buffalo, believe it or not.  The really bad area is generally a box bounded by Oswego, Fulton, Brewerton, and Pulaski.

Pulaski, Parish, Tug Hill Plateau area, etc., all get hit really, really hard.

My understanding is why Syracuse gets more snow than Buffalo is that since Lake Erie is shallower than Lake Ontario, Lake Erie has a tendency to freeze over, while Lake Ontario never really freezes over due to its depth (instead, you get pack ice that builds up along the shore).  Of course, the lake effect snow bands can travel pretty far based on conditions, and can affect travel almost as far away as Amsterdam, Cobleskill and Gloversville.

[vdeane]

Really far is right.  Southwestern Monroe county recieved lake effect snow from Lake Erie in the past couple days.

[PAHighways]

I used to live in Oswego, and sometimes the lake effect snow could be bad, but it was usually worse a few miles inland.

Edinboro would usually get buried by lake effect, while the City of Erie would have very little snow.  Mainly because Edinboro is higher in elevation than Erie, so orographic lift would enhance the snowfall.