BUFFALO, NY (AP) — The city of Buffalo was preparing for another snowfall Tuesday as it tried to recover from a massive winter storm that killed at least 28 people, left others stranded in their cars and forced airport closures.
The National Weather Service forecasts up to 5 centimeters (2 inches) of snow in Erie County, which includes Buffalo, the second largest city in New York state with approximately 275,000 residents.
While that’s small compared to the 4 feet (1.2 meters) of snow that fell in other parts of the country, “any additional snow that falls in Buffalo will have a significant effect,” said meteorologist Bob Oravec.
“The biggest impact it will have is how it will hamper attempts to remove previously fallen snow,” Oravec said.
The rest of the United States was still reeling from the storm, and at least 24 more deaths were reported in other parts of the country. Several communities, from Maine to Washington state, were still without electricity.
In Buffalo, the dead were found in their cars, houses, or snowdrifts. Some died while clearing snow, others because rescue teams failed to arrive in time to deal with medical crises. County Administrator Mark Poloncarz called the storm “probably the worst of our lifetime,” even for a region where heavy snow is common.
President Joe Biden offered upstate New York federal assistance on Monday, while Gov. Kathy Hochul surveyed affected areas in her hometown of Buffalo, calling the storm “one for history.” Nearly every fire truck in the city was stranded on Saturday, she said.
Hochul noted that the storm came just over a month after the region was hit by another “historic” snowfall. Between these two storms, the snow level was not much different from the average 242 centimeters (95.4 in) that falls in the area each winter.
The Weather Service said snow levels at Buffalo-Niagara International Airport were 49.2 inches (1.25 meters) as of 10 a.m. Monday. The airport will be closed until at least Wednesday morning, authorities said.
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Julie Walker contributed to this story from New York.
