Buffalo Blizzard Blamed For 3 Deaths

Three deaths in western New York have been attributed to a monster storm that dumped at least two feet of snow on the state. Officials also report about 350,000 utility customers are without power because of the record-breaking snowstorm that swept through the Great Lakes and Buffalo areas early Friday morning.

Two people died in traffic accidents blamed on the storm — one in Niagara County and the other in Lancaster — and another person died after being hit by a falling tree limb while shoveling snow in Amherst, the Erie County Health Department said.

Iowa, Wisconsin and North Dakota got hit earlier in the week as winter made its first early inroads. Detroit, site of Friday's American League Championship Series game between the Tigers and the Oakland A's, may be next. Temperatures there aren't expected to rise beyond the mid-40s. Major League Baseball moved the starting time for Friday's game ahead by four hours, to 4:30 p.m. EDT, in hopes of beating the snow.

"It's definitely not going to be baseball weather," said Dave Gurney of the National Weather Service in Michigan. "Around 45 degrees, wind gusts up to 35 mph and some snow showers."

Friday's hearty helping of Buffalo snow was day two for the Great Lakes city, which on Thursday recorded 8.3 inches of the same, setting a record for the "snowiest" October day in Buffalo in the 137-year history of the weather service, according to meteorologist Tom Niziol. The previous record of 6 inches was set on Oct. 31, 1917.

Niziol said the northern half of Erie County and southern portions of Niagara and Orleans Counties were among the hardest-hit areas. The storm closed a 100-mile stretch of the New York Thruway from Rochester to Dunkirk southwest of Buffalo, sections of which were still closed in the early afternoon. Dozens of snowplows are being used to clear the highway, while snowmobiles are being used to bring food and water to stranded motorists.

"This is an extremely rare event for this early in the season," Niziol said.

Ambulances are bringing oxygen to elderly patients and driving others to dialysis treatments. Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown says there are no reports of any deaths or injuries.

Buffalo's normally busy downtown streets were deserted.

"All the trees are down. No power," said resident Ron Pellnat, surveying the damage. "It's Friday the 13th, how about that?"

The city's main airport was closed Friday morning as runways were cleared after at least 14 inches of snow fell, said Tom Paone, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The snow was expected to continue throughout the morning, he said.

Gov. George Pataki headed to the area and is expected to declare a state of emergency for four hard-hit counties.

Power lines were down throughout the area. The weight of the thick snow piling onto trees still bearing leaves was taking a toll on tree limbs, breaking them off and blocking streets, said Buffalo Public Works Commissioner Joe Giambra. "That's what's really causing a lot of problems right now," Giambra told CBS Buffalo affiliate WIVB-TV.

National Grid was working into the night to restore power to customers left in the dark, but many were expected to be without power through the weekend and into next week, spokesman Steve Brady said.

"This is extremely heavy snow," Brady said. "We can't do a complete damage assessment until the snow stops falling."

The company had more than 50 crews working on the damage and was expecting 100 more crews to arrive from other areas to help later in the evening and the next day.

But the end of the snow won't end the problems: The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for several western New York counties, from 2 p.m. Friday through Saturday evening, as warming temperatures combine with melting snow to create the potential of flooding in urban and low-lying areas.

Central Buffalo and Tonawanda also experienced heavy snowfall. Officials in Amherst ordered a driving ban for the entire town.

"We have a condition where 80 percent of the roads are impassable," said Lt. Stephen McGonagle of the Amherst Police Department.

A Middleport, N.Y. couple told WIVB-TV they had to drive over downed wires while falling branches were hitting their van. "My husband had to stop and pull somebody out of the ditch on the way up," said Rachel Rickard. "It's been pretty bad."

Buffalo schools were closed Friday.

Tree branches were strewn across the roads around Buffalo and other areas affected by heavy snowfall. A large box maple tree split in half, falling on Joan Casey's midtown Buffalo home and then landing on her second story deck.

"The whole house shook," Casey said. "We were very afraid. Originally I thought it was just the thunder, and then I came outside and I couldn't believe it."

Buffalo resident Denise Hanlon was also shocked by the heavy snowfall, which was accompanied by lighting and loud claps of thunder.

"It was unbelievable" to see snow so early, she said. "And the thunder. It was so bizarre. It was just amazing."