National Weather Service

Another wind whipped blast created a treacherous ride into work for commuters across the Buffalo Niagara region.  A very fine snow and strong winds made driving conditions difficult Thursday morning.

Snowfall totals in the Western New York region have been above average for the winter season thus far, but Buffalo is finding itself way ahead of other major cities.

Concerns over severe wind chills prompted dozens of area schools to close Tuesday.

A Lake Effect Snow Warning is in effect until 6 a.m. Wednesday for Erie, Wyoming, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Genesee Counties, especially areas south of Buffalo and Batavia.

The National Weather Service says the moderate snow that had been falling all day Thursday became lighter during the evening hours.  But forecasters say strong winds up to 25 miles per hour were still creating blowing and drifting snow.

A Lake Effect Snow Advisory is in place through 10 am Friday for Southern Erie, Wyoming, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua Counties.

There's a winter weather advisory across the Western New York Region. 

Strong and potentially damaging winds will be blowing through Western New York tonight and into Monday.

A blast of winter weather late Monday night left its impact across the region. Icy conditions appeared to play a part in a series of highway accidents. Some areas reported five inches of snowfall.

Saturday's saturating rains caused some minor and isolated flooding with one portion of Western New York receiving more than 3 inches of rain.

The National Weather Service is reporting that a record setting snowfall blanketed Buffalo and Western New York on Saturday.

The National Weather Service reports that a record high temperature for the area was reached on Saturday.

An afternoon reading at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport targeted the daytime high at 91 degrees. The previous high for the date was 90 degrees set in 1959.

Sunday's temperatures are expected to more comfortably moderate.

The National Weather Service recorded a record temperature on Friday.

The mercury rose to 95 degrees, and more potentially record setting heat is expected for Saturday. A heat advisory is being issued for the afternoon hours for the lower Genesee Valley and the Ontario Plain, and the heat index could reach 100 degrees. The risk of heat related illnesses will be elevated Saturday.

Consuming plenty of liquids is recommended.

As it stands currently, Buffalo is enduring the driest July in recorded history.

The lack of precipitation has local officials keeping a close eye on municipal water levels.  On Grand Island, residents are asked to "voluntarily" limit their use of water.

"Certainly, we've been very dry, even going back to May and June," said meteorologist Tom Paone of the Buffalo office of the National Weather Service.

According to Paone, the driest July in Western New York history saw less an inch of precipitation. That is unlikely to repeated this year.