What's News?

By Assistant Chief Roblee

Sunday December 28, 2025

A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for our area, with impacts expected from 1 PM Monday 12/29 to 1 AM Friday 1/2.  The hazards are: lake effect snow totaling 1-2 feet and high wind gusts creating whiteout conditions.  We see a lot of winter storm/lake effect snow warnings issued in our area, so in an effort to prevent desensitization, here are some tips for preparing for upcoming winter weather events.

1) Read the warnings & advisories.  Warnings and advisories provide critical information, like time frame, the peak expected snow totals and impacts to travel.  These warnings are issued by the National Weather Service, only when the expected impacts exceed certain criteria (such as >7 inches of snow expected for winter storm warnings).

2) Visit the Buffalo National Weather Service webpage.  The NWS Buffalo website (https://www.weather.gov/buf/) provides a one stop shop for weather updates.  One of their most valuable products is the Winter Weather page, which provides a variety of easy-to-read maps to better understand the impacts and timing for your backyard.  We suggest visiting this page at least once per day during winter weather events.

3) Utilize travel impact trackers.  Erie County recently started releasing a Winter Storm Scale to advise residents of the expected travel impacts each day.  NITTEC provides a great, real-time map showing road conditions and road closures on its website (nittec.org) and mobile app.  These resources can help you determine if that errand you have to run can wait for another day.

4) Always be prepared.  Regardless of how impactful a weather system appears to be, you should always be prepared for adverse conditions.  Before an event, make sure your vehicle is full of fuel and carry an emergency supply kit in your vehicle.  Throughout winter weather events, monitor reliable sources such as the NWS or local emergency management for additional warnings and travel advisories.

Not every storm is a “drop everything” event.  Regardless, it’s important that we keep ourselves informed and prepared each time you see winter weather warnings pop up on your phone.  Stay safe out there!