UPDATE: The final travel ban in Erie County - for the city of Lackawanna - will be lifted at 1 p.m. this afternoon.
MORE: Final travel ban in Erie County to be lifted this afternoon
A travel ban remains in effect for most of Erie County on Sunday as a wicked lake effect snow storm continues to slam parts of the region with high winds and heavy snow.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz has lifted the travel ban for the towns of Tonawanda, Amherst, Grand Island, Clarence, Newstead, Holland, Colden, Sardinia, Concord, North Collins, and Collins. The gate will remain closed on the 219.
The travel ban will stay in effect for the rest of the county until further notice.
In consultation with NYS, Erie County is lifting the travel ban for the towns of Amherst, Clarence, Grand Island, Newstead and Towawanda as of 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. The travel ban for the towns of Colden, Collins, Concord, Holland, North Collins and Sardinia ended at 8 am. pic.twitter.com/jhSaifKMi1
— Mark Poloncarz (@markpoloncarz) January 14, 2024
The storm has already dropped a foot of snow in Orchard Park as of 11 a.m. Sunday, with another six to 12 inches expected to fall. The NFL postponed today's Bills-Steelers Wild Card game at Highmark Stadium until 4:30 p.m. Monday. Whiteout conditions have made traveling in the area around the stadium treacherous.
Current conditions on Abbott Road in front of Highmark Stadium. @WKBW pic.twitter.com/TYhpNtKeuY
— Sean Mickey WKBW (@SeanMickey7) January 14, 2024
This is why the Bills game was postponed. pic.twitter.com/iNkG8uF4al
— Michael Schwartz (@MSchwartzTV) January 14, 2024
This is a half-hour later. You cannot see the stadium and these videos aren’t doing it justice. Right now, I cannot even see the fence to the construction site with my own eyes. Stay safe everyone. @WKBW pic.twitter.com/ETw769Km4b
— Adam Campos (@arcampostv) January 14, 2024
The Buffalo Bills are asking snow shovelers to abide by the travel ban and not to report to the stadium until the ban is lifted and conditions improve. The team says there will be multiple shifts of shovelers to get the stadium ready for game time.
The 7 Weather team says more than two feet of snowwill fall in the most persistent snow bands.
