Major Lake Effect Storm Warning Issued for 36 Inches of Snow With Travel 'Impossible'
The snow isn't over yet. A major lake effect storm warning on New Year's Day is predicting up to 36 inches of snow and hazardous conditions for some areas of the U.S. According to the Weather Channel, the lake effect "snow machine" is still causing perilous conditions throughout the Great Lakes.
New York State is facing especially dangerous predictions. In Oneida County, NY, "heavy lake effect snow" could dump as much as 20 inches in the county," the National Weather Service wrote. "Lake effect snow bands will move back and forth across the area, with uncertainty in snowfall totals. There will likely be a wide range in amounts with a sharp cutoff in snow totals."
The National Weather Service Says Some Areas of the U.S. May See 'Localized Amounts of 3 Feet' of Snow
(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
The National Weather Service office in Buffalo warned of the lake effect snow on January 1. "Heavy lake effect snow. Additional snow accumulations 1 to 2 feet, with localized amounts of 3 feet possible," NWS announced adding that the snow could persist through the morning of January 3, 2026.
"Wayne and Northern Cayuga Counties. The greatest accumulations will focus in a small area of extreme northeast Wayne and far northern Cayuga counties. The remainder of those counties will see far less snowfall," NWS wrote. "Travel will be very difficult to impossible in the heaviest bands of snow with near zero visibility and deep snow cover on roads."
Added the NWS: "During lake effect snow, the weather can vary from bands of locally heavy snow with greatly reduced visibilities to dry conditions just a few miles away. Be prepared for rapid changes in weather, visibility, and road conditions."
Snowfalls Near Lake Erie & Lake Ontario Could Reach 5 Inches Per Hour, Reports Say
❄️ Current conditions on the Thruway south of Buffalo as a lake effect snow band is moving north causing a slow ride and near whiteout conditions at times. If you are traveling this afternoon, check the forecast and adjust speed to the conditions. Be safe. pic.twitter.com/enFGFGvrKU
— New York State Thruway Authority (@NYSThruway) December 31, 2025
New Year’s Day celebrations "may be in need of snow shovels in the Great Lakes for the first day of 2026 thanks to ongoing lake-effect snow bands throughout parts of the region," the Weather Channel warned.
"Feet of snowfall could be picked up in the snowbelts over the next few days, especially in upstate New York near Lake Erie and Lake Ontario," the Weather Channel added. "Snowfall rates could even reach 3-5 inches per hour. Strong wind can create whiteout conditions even if there isn’t any snow actively falling, so anyone hitting the roads should be extra cautious and allow for extra travel time."
According to Fox Weather,the Great Lakes region has already been whalloped by heavy snowfall. Upstate New York in particular has been hit with a series of heavy snowfalls. Even before the recent prediction, Syracuse, NY "has already nearly doubled its average snowfall record for the year," reported Fox.
On December 31, the New York State Thruway Authority warned, "Current conditions on the Thruway south of Buffalo as a lake effect snow band is moving north causing a slow ride and near whiteout conditions at times. If you are traveling this afternoon, check the forecast and adjust speed to the conditions. Be safe."