My sympathies to WNY and Buffalo...

I saw some home Face Book video of some kids jumping out of their 2nd story windows into the snow drifts while Dad was in the background with a long pole, using it as an avalanche probe, trying to find their car in the driveway to know where to start digging for it !

Now the weather folks are saying, after several more feet in some places today, the forecast is for it to warm up and then rain on them early next week. One local forecaster was saying that roofs in the hardest hit areas have an equivalent of three Ford F-150's worth of weight on them already, imagine what that stuff will weigh if they get rain on top of it?

Godspeed and the hope for safe days ahead for all those affected.

gfreek said:

I live in Wyoming County and we are getting blasted with snow. About 4 ft now and rising.. Not as bad as South Buffalo where they have 6 plus feet though.. Power went out yesterday for 3 hours.. Anticipating it going out again.... Snowing hard now. Roofs are collapsing. Calling for warm up and rain this weekend..Crazy..

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Thoughts go out to you, brother. Your state's disaster response capabilities will certainly be tested over the next few days.

Be safe out there - shoveling that stuff is a serious heart attack waiting to happen, with already multiple heart attack fatalities reported. A special shout out to my fellow EMS and Fire / Rescue brethren who are having to respond to rescue requests in those brutal conditions. We don't get to choose the weather or conditions we have to respond in !

I'd concentrate on getting that snow off the roof before worrying about the driveway especially with rain coming.

When you live at the end of the Lake Erie snow machine, it's like being at the pin setting end of a bowling alley, every once in a while someone rolls a 300 game....

I'm on the opposite end. We have the algae.

It is slowly warming up. I worked outside on Monday and Tuesday and Tuesday about froze my post 60 year old butt off. Today it's in the mid 20's here (west end of Lake Erie) and the pellet appliance has actually went to idle fire a couple times. I keep the T'stat at 70. Was having a snit holding 68 for the last 2 days and Monday night the central furnace kicked in a couple times because the pellet burner wasn't able to hold it.

Predicted snow/rain here on Saturday and rain on Sunday but we have little snow, it all went to Buffalo....lol

I have an omnious feeling this winter is going to be a repeat of last winter, maybe worse..... It's global warming, just ask Al

DMKNLD said:

Thoughts go out to you, brother. Your state's disaster response capabilities will certainly be tested over the next few days.

Be safe out there - shoveling that stuff is a serious heart attack waiting to happen, with already multiple heart attack fatalities reported. A special shout out to my fellow EMS and Fire / Rescue brethren who are having to respond to rescue requests in those brutal conditions. We don't get to choose the weather or conditions we have to respond in !

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As a first responder myself (fire fighter, and work for the power company) you have to remember these guys don't have the chance to go home and make sure everything is ok, I was tested during Irene, October snow (16" my back yard) and hurricane Sandy, it really sucked being at work, I just kept thinking what Im going to come home to, is there a house left? Its the worse feeling in the world but its a job whether good times or bad, my hat is off to all those affected with this storm.

kennyp2339 said:

As a first responder myself (fire fighter, and work for the power company) you have to remember these guys don't have the chance to go home and make sure everything is ok, I was tested during Irene, October snow (16" my back yard) and hurricane Sandy, it really sucked being at work, I just kept thinking what Im going to come home to, is there a house left? Its the worse feeling in the world but its a job whether good times or bad, my hat is off to all those affected with this storm.

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I hear you on that - kennyp. During the New England ice storm of January 1998 I was on EMS duty in rural NW Maine for 6 days straight. Luckily, I have a resourceful (and understanding) wife, who was at home, 2 hours away from where I was working, with our 4 month old and 1 y/o daughters. No power for 5 of those days !

First purchase when I got home was a genset !

I feel for the folks going through that in Western NY now.

Lake Girl said:

The '77 storm - we had a drift from the bottom of our second floor bedroom window too.

Just heard they are evacuating some seniors from their facility due to roof buckling

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I lived north of Montreal when we had the Blizzard of 71. It took 41 years before that snowstorm record was broken. And yes, we had to climb out on the deck of the 2nd floor to get out of the house!

Then I lived thru the Ice Storm of 98 here in Maine, when we had no power for a week. Not so bad really, but I had just brought my mom home from Boston where she had had major brain surgery, to a home with no power, except the generator that I had just bought. That was crazy.

This situation is going to get worse before getting better. I hope everyone in Buffalo are taking precautions and keeping as safe as possible. There already have been roof collapses and rain and warmer temps have been forecasted which will not be a good situation. Stay strong and persevere Buffalo.

Well, to be honest, without the generator, I would have kept my mom in a hotel, though when you're recovering from major surgery, every little comfort of home counts.