WINTER STORM WARNING/ADVISORY/LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
1025 AM EST TUE DEC 30 1997

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS ISSUING A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING
   FOR TONIGHT FOR CHAUTAUQUA AND CATTARAUGUS COUNTIES...

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUES A WINTER STORM WARNING 
   INTO THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE GENESEE VALLEY INCLUDING ALLEGANY
   COUNTY...THE FINGER LAKES REGION AND THE EASTERN LAKE ONTARIO
   COUNTIES...

...THE WINTER STORM WARNING CONTINUES INTO TONIGHT FOR LAKE EFFECT
   SNOW FOR MONROE WAYNE CAYUGA ONONDAGA AND OSWEGO COUNTIES...

...A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT INTO THIS AFTERNOON 
FOR
   THE FAR WESTERN COUNTIES OF NEW YORK INCLUDING 
NIAGARA...ORLEANS...
   ERIE...GENESEE...WYOMING...CHAUTAUQUA AND CATTARAUGUS...

A STRONG WINTER STORM MOVING NORTH INTO NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND WILL 
CONTINUE TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL ACROSS PARTS OF CENTRAL NEW 
YORK INTO THIS AFTERNOON...WHERE TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL 
RANGE FROM ONE TO TWO FEET WITH 6 INCHES TO A FOOT OR MORE FOR THE 
WESTERN FINGER LAKES AND THE GENESEE VALLEY AND 3 TO 6 INCHES FOR THE 
NIAGARA FRONTIER AND CHAUTAUQUA AND CATTARAUGUS COUNTIES.

ROADS ARE SNOW COVERED AND SLICK WITH VERY POOR TRAVEL CONDITIONS 
ESPECIALLY EAST OF ROCHESTER...ACROSS THE FINGER LAKES REGION AND THE 
EASTERN LAKE ONTARIO COUNTIES. 

THE SNOW STORM HAS ALREADY CAUSED SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES FROM DOWNED 
TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES ACROSS THE FINGER LAKES REGION AND IS 
RESPONSIBLE FOR NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS. 

SNOWFALL RATES WILL DIMINISH DURING THE AFTERNOON AS THE STORM 
CONTINUES TO PROGRESS FURTHER TO THE NORTHEAST BUT NORTHWEST WINDS 
ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WHICH WILL 
CAUSE CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. WITH THE HEAVY SNOW ON 
TREES AND POWER LINES ADDITIONAL POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE THIS 
AFTERNOON. WIND CHILLS WILL ALSO FALL INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AT 
TIMES.

AS THE STORM PULLS AWAY ACROSS THE CANADIAN MARITIMES TONIGHT...VERY
COLD AIR WILL CIRCULATE SOUTHWARDS ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. THIS WILL 
PRODUCE LAKE EFFECT SNOWS SOUTH OF BUFFALO IN CHAUTAUQUA AND 
CATTARAUGUS COUNTIES AND SOUTHEAST OF LAKE ONTARIO BETWEEN ROCHESTER 
AND SYRACUSE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY SO WARNINGS ARE CONTINUED INTO 
TONIGHT. 

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF NATIONAL 
WEATHER SERVICE INFORMATION FOR UP TO DATE FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS
ON THIS WEATHER EVENT.

ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEB SITE AT
www.erh.noaa.gov/er/buf

ANOTHER STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY 4PM THIS AFTERNOON.

JJP/SAGE