Overview
- The storm rapidly deepened to meet bomb cyclone criteria Monday before shifting into Canada, with a trailing Arctic blast; Buffalo recorded a 79 mph wind gust.
- Narrow lake-effect bands downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario are dumping localized totals of two feet or more, with 2–3 inch-per-hour rates near Syracuse, Baldwinsville and northern Cayuga/Wayne counties.
- Power outages have hit hundreds of thousands from Michigan to New York, and utilities including National Grid have mobilized large crews for ongoing restoration.
- Travel has been severely disrupted, with roughly 9,000 U.S. flight delays and over 1,500 cancellations reported Monday and a northbound I-81 closure in Syracuse after a multi-vehicle crash.
- New York’s State Disaster Emergency remains in effect as Winter Storm and Lake Effect Snow Warnings continue through midweek and officials warn of life‑threatening whiteouts.