Western New York hunkered down as a pre-holiday blizzard descended on the area. Wind gusts has high as 79 miles per hour were measured in Lackawanna. Buffalo News photographers Derek Gee, Harry Scull Jr., Joseph Cooke and Mark Mulville were out in WNY to capture images of the storm at it battered the area.
A plow makes its way down Chestnut Ridge Road in Orchard Park on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A statute of Buffalo Bills founder Ralph Wilson Jr. stands in the wind and cold in founders plaza at Highmark Stadium on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Snow coats the status of Ralph Wilson Jr. at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A Love sign is illuminated in red at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A car sits in a snowbank outside Highmark Stadium on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A Erie County plow clears Davis road in West Falls on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Snow covered wreaths hang on the front doors of the East Concord Community Church on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Snow and wind cover a red barn in Springville on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A large tree snapped in half and landed on some cars parked in the driveway at a home in Orchard Park on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Jess Wilson and her son Andy take look at the wind and snow from her front door in Orchard Park, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Flags blow in the wind outside Lamb & Webster in Springville, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A Erie County plow makes its way down West Main Street in Springville, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Heater Sopko runs up East Main Street in Springville, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Gates were closed Friday to the entrance of Route 219 in Springville.
A Buffalo Bills flag flaps in the wind in Orchard Park, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A pedestrian crosses Buffalo Road in white out conditions in Orchard Park, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Evan Thur clears the sidewalk on Buffalo Road in Orchard Park, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Cars drive in whiteout conditions in Orchard Park, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A holiday flag blows in the high winds in Orchard Park, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A person walks their dog in the high winds in Orchard Park, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A pedestrian gets a run in before the storm kicks in to full gear in Orchard Park, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A pedestrian walks down Buffalo Road before the storm kicks in to full gear in Orchard Park, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A pedestrian gets a run in before the storm kicks in to full gear in Orchard Park, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Abbott Road and Route 20A are closed near Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Buffalo Bills on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A tree is rocked by strong wind outside the Ambassador Apartments in Buffalo on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Cindi McEachon, the Buffalo School Board’s liaison to the Council’s Education Committee, says she is “optimistic that we will be able to have some sort of resolution” on the use of district schools as emergency shelters.
A parked car sits in a world of blowing snow in the Elmwood Village on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Mary Jane Marchioli walks her wire-haired terrier, Francesca, in Elmwood Village on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Two parked vehicles are covered in snow in Buffalo's Elmwood Village on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A trio of pedestrians walks down Auburn Avenue in the Elmwood Village amid whiteout conditions, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
An ambulance travels down West Ferry Street amid heavy snowfall, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
An ambulance travels down West Ferry Street amid heavy snowfall, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Snow clings to the eyelashes of Ziggy Jeffery as he watches the snow fall at the corner of Main and West Ferry Street not far from his apartment, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Harland Kirsch, 13, is bundled up as he ventures outside to explore amid blizzard conditions, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A snowplow travels down West Ferry Street in Buffalo on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A snowplow passes by on Main Street in Buffalo, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Patti Hall walks down Elmwood Avenue amid heavy snowfall after leaving work early due to the weather, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Whiteout conditions at the intersection of West Ferry and Elmwood Avenue, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A large tree limb at the side of West Ferry Street, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Kathy Connolly braces herself from the blowing snow as she walks down Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Heavy snow falls on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
The Firestone family makes their way across Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo after stocking up on supplies at the Lexington Co-op, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Madelynn Firestone, 8, helps her parents carry groceries as they stock up on supplies for the storm at the Lexington Co-op on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A cyclist rides down Elmwood Avenue during heavy snowfall, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Elmwood Village residents make their way home from a quick stop at the store to stock up on supplies, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Kyle McGinty clears off his car so he can move it to comply with alternate parking regulations in the Elmwood Village, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A snowplow passes by on Main Street in Buffalo, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
Power outages will be a serious problem, and utility crews will be limited at times in their response because of the anticipated blizzard-force winds.
The National Weather Service replaced the blizzard warning with a winter storm warning for Erie, Genesee, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties.
- Complete coverage: Blizzard blasts Buffalo; at least three dead
Buffalo was the last municipality to lift its travel ban. All of Erie County remained under a travel advisory early Thursday.
"There's a ton of people stuck. There are stranded people off the road," said Erie County Deputy Joe Reeves. In one car, deputies found a young mother with a newborn baby.
Battering winds with gusts approaching hurricane force began bombarding Western New York just as day broke and never quit.
