Dozens of shoppers were forced to spend their Christmas camped inside a supermarket after being left stranded in one of the worst weather disasters to ever hit western parts of the US.
More than 30 deaths have been reported in New York's Erie County from the blizzard that has raged across much of the country, with Buffalo in its crosshairs.
Last Friday, around 25 motorists were forced to seek refuge at a Target store amid whiteout conditions in Cheektowaga, but were unable to leave until two days later.
Footage shared by Facebook user Jessica Lee shows people sleeping on air mattresses set up between racks of clothes, while children trapped in the store played Uno and read books to keep busy.
She wrote alongside the videos and photos: "I have never felt so scared in my life but we are safe and warm.
"I cannot say enough to the Target employees who opened their doors to us and have provided everything we have needed, you guys are literally life savers."
The National Weather Service in Buffalo said that through Christmas Day on Sunday the city had already seen 92.7 inches of snow.
This figure is just a few inches shy of the average 95.4 inches Buffalo gets during an entire winter season.
On Wednesday, the National Guard went door to door in parts of Buffalo to check on people who lost power during the deadly winter storm.
One pair of National Guard troops knocked on the door of a home as people nearby tried to dig their way to businesses on a major avenue in Buffalo.
Spokesperson Eric Durr said troops had made some wellness checks previously but went out with a specific list of questions, including whether residents had food, water, electricity or any special health or medication concerns.
"The idea is to get a sense of: What are the needs out there?" said Durr, who noted that troops were offering food and water to those needing it.
Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said officers from his and other agencies also were searching for victims, sometimes using officers' personal snowmobiles, trucks and other equipment.
Carolyn Eubanks, who relied on an oxygen machine, collapsed after losing electricity at her Buffalo home during a time when emergency workers were unable to respond to calls, son Antwaine Parker told The Buffalo News.
"She's like, I can't go no further.' I'm begging her, Mom, just stand up.' She fell in my arms and never spoke another word," Parker told the newspaper.
Timothy Murphy, 27, died after snow covered a furnace and sent carbon monoxide into his Lockport home, the Niagara County sheriff's office said.
Monique Alexander, 52, was found buried in snow after going out in the storm for unclear reasons, said her daughter.
Anndel Taylor, 22, died in her car after it got stuck on her way home from work, her family told WSOC-TV.
Local officials insisted that they had prepared but that the weather was extraordinary even for a region prone to powerful winter storms.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, a Democrat, said at a news conference: "The city did everything that it could under historic blizzard conditions."
With enough snow remaining that driving was still banned in New York's second-most-populous city, officials worked to clear storm drains and watched a forecast that calls for some rain later in the week.
Erie County officials said they were preparing for the possibility of some flooding and of ice jams in local creeks.
The National Weather Service said any flooding was expected to be minor.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport reopened after a five-day closure, although many flights were cancelled.
