Western New York braced for flooding on Friday as warmer weather threatens to thaw the region that suffered days of freezing temperatures and historic snowfall.
On Friday, county officials announced that two more residents had died being taken from a nursing home that was evacuated on Thursday, bringing the total number of deaths linked to the storm since Tuesday to 12.
County officials also reported 30 major roof collapses across the region. Deputy county executive Richard Tobe said most of the collapses were farm buildings with flat roofs, but warned residents to be wary of cracks on the walls or loud groans, according to the Buffalo News reported.
The snowfall has eased, and little or no snow was expected on Friday.
“It’s just like a regular day in Buffalo,” Tobe said.
The forecast called for a chance of rain on Saturday and more on Monday as temperatures are expected to rise dramatically to 60F.
As the weather warms and the snow melts, the county is preparing for floods, the Buffalo paper said. The National Weather Service is due to test the snow on Friday to determine how much water it contains to help officials prepare for the flooding expected later on Friday, the paper said.
“The warmth is going to be coming faster than the evaporation,” Tobe said. “That is the next phase of our challenge.”
New York governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency on Tuesday night, and was in the area on Friday.
Cuomo instructed all state agencies, including the National Guard and the New York State Police to be ready to help snowbound residents and clear roadways. Driving bans are in effect on Friday and state offices and some schools remain closed in the 10 counties where state of emergencies have been declared. He is expected to give a storm update on Friday morning.
The wintery blast brought more than 3ft of extra snow in some parts of the region on Thursday, the Weather Service said. The service predicted the snow would taper off during the morning on Friday.
The storm is being branded “historic” – no small feat for a region beset by big blizzards that blow in from Lake Erie.
Earlier deaths linked to the weather include a man who suffered a heart ailment while using a snowblower, a man stuck in his car buried under about 15ft of snow and a person who died in a traffic accident.
