Lake-Effect Snow Squalls Near Buffalo: What Helps When a Band Finds You

If a lake-effect squall catches you near Buffalo, slow down, turn on your headlights and hazards, and leave lots of room. Don't slam the brakes. If the car quits, get as far right as you can and stay inside with your belt on. If you're trapped or in a live lane, call 911. Once the band passes, call for a winch-out, jump or tow.

Why is it a whiteout in Hamburg but sunny in Amherst?

Cold air crosses Lake Erie, picks up moisture, then drops it as snow on land. The snow comes down in narrow bands, not one big sheet. The National Weather Service says a band can drop 2 to 3 inches an hour or more. A mile or two away, the sun may be shining.

NWS Buffalo says over half the city's yearly snow comes this way. It also says the prevailing winds push much more of it south of the city than north. That's why the Southtowns get buried so often while the Northtowns stay gray.

So the forecast for "Buffalo" may not match your drive. You can leave a dry street in Williamsville and hit a wall of white on the way to Orchard Park.

Which wind sends the snow where?

The wind decides where a band lands. It needs to cross a lot of open water first. NWS says at least 40 miles. The longer the trip over the lake, the stronger the band can get. Here is how NWS lays it out for Lake Erie:

Wind from the	What NWS says to expect
Southwest	A long trip over the lake. Heavy lake snow near the Buffalo metro area.
West	Heavier snow in the Southern Tier, including I-90 between Buffalo and Erie, PA, and I-86 near Jamestown. Hills make it worse.
Northwest	A shorter trip over Lake Erie, but the band can link up with Lake Huron.
North	Lighter lake snow can reach Buffalo off Lake Ontario.

A southwest wind is the one that aims at the city itself. A west wind usually hits the Thruway south of town. When the wind shifts during the day, the band moves with it. A road that was clear at lunch can be the worst spot by the evening drive.

When does squall season start in Buffalo?

NWS says the odds of heavy lake snow climb by mid-November. They fade from mid-February into early March. When the season ends depends on how much of Lake Erie freezes over.

The early part of the season is often the worst. NWS Buffalo says many of the city's biggest snowstorms came in late November and early December. December is also the snowiest month in NOAA's normals for the airport, with January close behind. A normal year brings about 95 inches.

The strongest single bands can be wild. NWS has measured 6 to 7 inches an hour in the most intense events. At that rate, roads fill in fast and you can barely see.

What happened in the November 2022 storm?

From November 16 to 21, 2022, a band off Lake Erie dropped 81.2 inches on Hamburg, per NWS. It went on for more than two days. The Thruway (I-90) closed south of Buffalo. A large outdoor event planned for Orchard Park was moved.

That storm is a good reminder. A squall can shut down one corridor while the rest of Erie County keeps moving. If you drive I-90 toward Hamburg, watch the forecast closely when the wind turns west.

What does a travel advisory or travel ban mean in Erie County?

Erie County uses plain terms when storms hit. Here's what each one tells you:

• Travel Advisory. The county says travel is not safe. Go only if you must or it's an emergency, and get ready to stay home.
• Travel Ban. A temporary law that bans driving because roads are too dangerous. It gives plow crews room to work. Parking rules may change too.
• Blizzard Warning. Heavy blowing snow and strong wind for many hours. The county says to get ready to stay home.

A ban is not a suggestion. If one is in place, stay put. A tow truck can't help much on a road that plows can't clear. Check 511NY for closures before you head out.

What do you do when the band hits while you're driving?

NWS says to avoid or delay travel when a Snow Squall Warning covers your area. These warnings are short and aimed at small areas. Squalls often last only 30 to 60 minutes. So waiting it out at a gas station is a real option.

If you're already on the road and can't get off in time, NWS says to:

1. Slow down. But don't slam the brakes. On ice, that can start a chain-reaction crash.
2. Turn on your headlights and hazards so cars behind can see you.
3. Leave plenty of space between you and the car ahead.
4. If you skid, ease off the gas and steer where you want the front of the car to go. With ABS, press the brake with steady pressure. Never pump it.

NWS puts it bluntly: there is no safe place on the highway during a squall. Your goal is to get off the road at the next exit, not to push through.

Your car died inside the band. Now what?

If the engine is failing, steer right while you still have power. Get as far from the lane as you can. If anyone is hurt, or the car is stuck in a lane you can't see past, call 911 first.

Then stay in the car. NWS warns that you get lost quickly in wind-driven snow and cold if you walk away. Keep your belt on. While you wait:

• Clear the exhaust pipe before you run the engine. Step out on the side away from traffic, and only if it's safe.
• Run the motor for 10 minutes or so each hour for heat. Crack a window while it runs.
• At night, turn on the dome light while the engine runs.
• Tie something bright, red if you have it, to the antenna or door.
• Once the snow stops, raise the hood to show you need help.

Broke down on the Thruway?

I-90 and the Niagara Thruway part of I-190 have their own rules. Only the Thruway's authorized garages may service or tow cars there. For an emergency, call 911. If you can coast to the next exit, call us from there.

Snowbank, dead battery or no start: which help fits?

A band hits on a side street in West Seneca. You slide into the bank and the car still runs. That's usually a winch-out, as long as the car sits close to the road and isn't damaged. Don't spin the tires. It digs you in deeper.

The cold can also finish off a weak battery. If it clicks after the band passes, a jump start may be all you need. If the car hit something hard or won't run at all, you need a tow to your shop.

Tell us the road, your direction, the town and the nearest exit or cross street. "Buffalo" alone covers too much ground in a squall.

When your driver is working on the shoulder, New York's move over law, VTL 1144-a, applies. On expressways, drivers must move out of the lane next to the shoulder when it's safe.

What should be in your car before November?

Erie County suggests a car blizzard kit you can reach from inside the car. Its list includes:

• A full tank of gas, water and snacks
• Warm clothes, blankets and a first aid kit
• Any medicine you need
• A flashlight with batteries and a phone charger
• A shovel, a snow brush, an ice scraper and salt, sand or cat litter
• Jumper cables and a bright cloth or flares to signal for help

NWS also says to tell someone your route before you go. If you stop answering, they know where to start looking.

How does Sentinel help after the squall?

Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. We don't own trucks. A vetted local partner tow company does the winch-out, jump or tow. We text you a locked price before anyone is sent. Then we keep checking on you by text until help arrives. That's the Stay-With-You Promise. You can also track your truck on a map. Sentinel is not an emergency service. For Buffalo roads and neighborhoods, see the Buffalo towing page.

Stuck right now? Call 1-888-TOW-1213, or request help online.

Buffalo Lake-Effect Squall Questions

Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: NWS: lake-effect snow in New York, NWS Buffalo climate narrative, NWS: lake-effect snow, NWS: snow squalls, NWS: during a winter storm, Erie County: Let's Get Ready for Winter, NYS Thruway roadside assistance, NY VTL 1144-a, 511NY, NOAA climate normals, Buffalo airport.