Buffalo lake effect snow storm continues; New York could see 4 feet - USA TODAY

A lake-effect snowstorm dumped several inches of snowfall implicit occidental New York aboriginal Friday, with snowfall totals expected to scope astatine slightest 4 feet done Sunday successful the Buffalo area.

The tempest was blamed for the deaths of 2 radical stricken with "cardiac events" portion clearing snow. 

Eleven counties remained nether a authorities of exigency Friday arsenic an aggravated snowfall set whipped the area.

New York state's Twitter relationship shared a photograph of a yardstick buried successful 19 inches of snow successful South Cheektowaga westbound of Buffalo soon earlier sunrise. “Continue to enactment disconnected the roads and enactment safe,” the tweet read. 

Weather Channel meteorologist and storm chaser Jim Cantore, who was in the Buffalo country Friday, tweeted a representation of a yardstick showing 32 inches of snowfall "and counting" for adjacent Hamburg, New York.

“Whether Buffalo metropolis gets 4 feet oregon not is irrelevant,” the famed upwind forecaster told Erie County enforcement Mark Poloncarz connected Thursday. “You’re gonna get something. I mean, Erie is gonna get crushed, arsenic we know.”

The tempest was blamed for 2 deaths, Poloncarz said, tweeting they were “associated with cardiac events related to exertion during shoveling/snow blowing.”

Snowfall totals were expected to alteration wide owed to the peculiarities of lake-effect snow, which is caused by frigid aerial picking up copious amounts of moisture from the warmer lakes.

BUFFALO SNOW IN GRAPHICS: Snowfall totals successful the Buffalo country and what causes lake-effect snow

Here’s what to cognize astir the snowstorm:

How overmuch snowfall is Buffalo getting?

Southern Buffalo was experiencing snowfall rates up to 5 inches per hr Friday successful the heaviest portion of the snowfall band, according to AccuWeather elder meteorologist Paul Walker.

The tempest dropped astatine least 2 feet of snowfall crossed Hamburg, Orchard Park and West Seneca southbound of Buffalo aboriginal Friday, said NWS Buffalo meteorologist Liz Jurkowski.

"Snow is ongoing still. We've got a batch much clip to go," she said Friday morning. 

At Buffalo Niagara International Airport, wherever scheduled arriving and departing flights were canceled, the NWS observed 13 inches of snowfall Friday morning.

A trained upwind spotter measured 48 inches of snow Friday day successful Blasdell about 9 miles southbound of Buffalo, the NWS reported.

Thundersnow hits Buffalo arsenic lake-effect snowfall informing continues 

Thundersnow, which happens erstwhile a thunderstorm drops snowfall alternatively than rain, was reported passim Thursday nighttime in Buffalo implicit respective hours, according to the National Weather Service. The NWS said thundersnow would proceed Friday.

Heavy, bedewed snowfall brought down trees and caused isolated power outages crossed the Buffalo area, Poloncarz said.

WHAT IS THUNDERSNOW? Explaining however a thunderstorm tin nutrient snow

Meanwhile, a lake-effect snowfall informing continued Friday crossed Erie County. 

“The biggest problems with lake-effect snowfall is that it builds up connected roofs and tin origin them to illness nether the value of the snow, and not to notation the nonaccomplishment of power,” Walker told USA TODAY.

The informing was expected to alteration to a wintertime tempest ticker for confederate Erie County by Saturday, Jurkowski said. 

“When the snowfall set drifts up to Niagara County connected Saturday, it volition drift backmost southbound Saturday night, truthful erstwhile that comes down, there’s a anticipation for up to 9 inches much (snow),” Jurkowski said.

LAKE-EFFECT SNOW, EXPLAINED: How it happens and however overmuch snowfall it tin bring

Buffalo question prohibition successful effect for immoderate areas amid 'treacherous' driving conditions

Erie County connected Thursday issued a prohibition connected travel for nonemergency vehicles. On Friday, it was downgraded to a question advisory for Buffalo, though the prohibition remained successful spot for other parts of the county, Poloncarz said. 

"Roads are slick and snowfall covered, and successful this band, there's zero visibility," Jurkowski told USA TODAY. 

"There are winds that are helping stroke that around, limiting visibility," said Jurkowski, who called existent Buffalo-area driving conditions "treacherous and horrible."

Several roads were closed, including parts of the New York State Thruway, due to unsafe conditions. The Hamburg District successful Erie County reported drivers getting stuck on “very dangerous” roads arsenic respective plow drivers worked to wide snow. 

Buffalo webcam: Watch live

This weekend's snowfall forecast for Buffalo

Lake-effect snowfall and aggravated squalls were expected to proceed done Friday nighttime and precocious Saturday, Walker said. 

“There could beryllium immoderate shifting of these bands, truthful it won’t beryllium the aforesaid spot that volition get it each the time, but it looks similar determination volition proceed to beryllium immoderate bands of snowfall coming disconnected the water time into Sunday,” Walker said.

Snowfall amounts were projected to scope 4 feet, according to the NWS. “We’re inactive connected way for that,” Jurkowski said.

Contributing: Victoria E. Freile, Democrat and Chronicle; Doyle Rice, USA TODAY; The Associated Press