CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — The weather is something many are keeping a close eye on this week. If you are driving or flying to visit family and friends for the holidays, the longer you wait, the trickier it may be to get to your final destination.
The holiday season also marks a busy travel season. At the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, thousands of passengers are expected to fly in and out just this week, but with the storm looming, airport officials said they are ready for it
"It's gonna be a significant storm and everybody should prepare," Lee Weitz, director of aviation with NFTA, said.
Weitz said they are expecting about 7,000 passengers to fly out of the airport by the end of the week. With the forecast predicting rain and snow, preparations are starting now.
"We're prepared. We have a great team. A lot of seasoned employees and we'll be prepared this week," Weitz said.
Weitz said they will be monitoring the weather once it hits later this week.
"We may pretreat the runways with a chemical with deicing fluid so that if we get any icing out there on Thursday it will be prepared and keep the runways open," Weitz.
For flyers, Weitz said to keep in touch with your airline, especially if a significant amount of snow is hitting your destination. He said usually airlines will waive fees if you have to rebook.
Weitz said not to worry about the Buffalo Bills heading to Chicago for Saturday's Christmas Eve game.
"We'll make sure the Bills make it out," Weitz said.
For the Bills Mafia members who are road tripping to the tailgate, Dan Fisher, emergency road service dispatch manager with AAA Western and Central NY, said to be careful.
"Keep an eye on those weather forecasts because those things can change, I-90 can close in certain places and that pushes people off the road," Fisher said.
Fisher said for the people driving this holiday season, you should:
- check your tires, battery and windshield wipers
- have an emergency kit handy
- plan your route
- leave early if you can
"We know there are a lot of people that need to drive for various reasons but when you do make sure you allow yourself far more time than usual," Fisher said.
AAA is predicting nearly 102 million Americans will drive to their holiday destination, as Western New York and much of the rest of the country is bracing for snow. Fisher said if you must travel, take it slow.
"And taking those road conditions for granted can lead to a break down or worse," Fisher said.
