NY weather: Winter storm watch issued for Wyoming and Erie counties from Wednesday to Friday

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for Wyoming and Erie counties on Tuesday at 3:15 a.m., which is in effect from Wednesday at 7 p.m. until Friday at 4 a.m.

“Heavy lake effect snow possible,” the meteorological agency adds. In the most persistent lake snows, total snow accumulations of more than 7 inches are conceivable. There might be significant blowing and drifting snow due to wind gusts of up to 45 to 50 mph.

“Travel may be challenging. Visibility may be considerably diminished in areas where snow is blowing. The weather service warns that strong gusts may bring down tree branches and result in localized power outages. Road conditions and visibility might change quickly in narrow bands of heavy snow. There may be issues with local travel.

Winter driving guide: Tips from the weather service for safe and sound travels

Roads are frequently made dangerous by winter’s icy grip, which results in more than 480,000 injuries and over 6,000 weather-related vehicle fatalities annually. Safety should be your first concern when you’re on roads that are covered in snow or freezing rain. Go more slowly and be careful. It’s wise to anticipate icy patches on the road and modify your driving in response when the temperature is close to freezing. Keep an eye out for ice buildup on tree limbs and power lines, since they could shatter and fall. Steer clear of driving in these situations at all costs. However, if you must go outside, avoid touching downed power lines and take paths with fewer trees. If you come across one, call 911 right away. The weather service has provided the following extra winter driving advice:

Tell us about your travel itinerary:

Make sure to let relatives or friends know where you’re going, how you plan to get there, and when you expect to arrive when you’re leaving town in dangerous winter conditions.

Get your car ready:

A windshield scraper, jumper cables, a small shovel, flashlight, mobile phone, blanket, extra warm clothes, drinking water, and high-calorie non-perishable food are all necessary wintertime items for your car. Make sure your petrol tank is full.

Remain composed when stranded:

Stay calm if you end up trapped. Tell someone where you are and what’s going on. Avoid trying to get to safety by foot. Put a cloth to your car’s antenna or mirror to show that you need help, and use the dome light and flashers to increase your vehicle’s visibility.

Watch out for snow plows:

Watch for snow plows and give them plenty of space to go by. You should only pass a plow when you can see the road well ahead.

Examine the state of the roads:

Before embarking on your journey, check the latest road conditions to make informed travel decisions.

Use these helpful winter driving advice from the weather service to stay safe on wintry roads and lower your chance of getting into an accident during inclement weather.

United Robots offers a service called Advance Local Weather Alerts that gathers the most recent information from the National Weather Service using machine learning.

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