Multiple winter weather advisories are in effect across western and central New York from Friday morning through early Saturday, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo, with snow, sleet and freezing rain expected to make travel hazardous.

Lake-effect snow battered western New York on Friday, December 19, reducing visibility and creating hazardous driving conditions, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported.The NWS had warned that snowfall of up to 2 inches per hour,

As of sunrise Saturday, the winter storm that impacted the Finger Lakes, Central New York, and surrounding regions is winding down, with snow and mixed precipitation tapering off across most areas. While hazardous travel conditions linger early this morning,

Multiple Winter Weather Advisories remain in effect across western and central New York as lake-effect snow impacts travel through Monday and into early Tuesday, according to the NWS in Buffalo.

On the morning of Dec. 24, 2001, after an unusually warm start to the winter season, a lake-effect snow band settled over southern Niagara County and the Northtowns, ending one of the longest snow-free periods in Western New York history,

Western New York has gotten an early taste of winter this season, with two lake effect systems and one Nor’easter in late November and early December. Snow, ice and high winds have battered the area with travel already becoming difficult for some.

When Buffalo, New York's devastating December 2022 blizzard claimed more than 30 lives, it exposed a hard reality: Even life-saving travel bans can lose their force over time, especially when residents face situations where compliance becomes difficult.