A lake-effect snowstorm walloping Buffalo, N.Y. and parts of Ontario made its way north over the weekend, bringing an estimated 1.2 metres of snow to parts of New York and more than 20 centimetres across Ontario.
Starting late Thursday night, the snow piled high along the streets into Friday morning, when residents in Buffalo woke up to buried cars and almost no visibility of roads.
The storm system was expected to bring parts of Ontario a similar pain, as Environment Canada said some communities along Lake Huron and Lake Erie will receive upwards of 80 centimetres of snow by late Sunday.
The U.S. National Weather Service recorded 195.5 centimetres of snow in Orchard Park, N.Y. on Saturday, one of the hardest-hit areas. This storm system could be historic for dropping the most snow within a 24-hour period in the state of New York, but meteorologist Jason Alumbaugh told The Associated Press it's still too soon to say.
By Sunday afternoon, residents started emerging from snow-covered homes, attempting to clear driveways and uncover cars before the next round of flurries starts early Monday morning.
Lake-effect snowstorms occur when cold air sweeps across warm water, blowing moisture toward land until it forms into large snowflakes.
Snow squall warnings continue to be in effect Sunday for most of southern Ontario in Parry Sound-Muskoka, Peterborough-Kawartha Lakes, Waterloo-Wellington, York-Durham and Belleville - Quinte - Northumberland.
The potentially historic storm for Buffalo and treacherous conditions in Ontario continue as residents document the winter wonderland on social media.
With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press
️ ❄️ Snow squalls continue off Lake Huron & Georgian Bay today and finally come to an end tonight!
— ECCC Weather Ontario (@ECCCWeatherON) November 20, 2022
☝️Significant amounts of snow have already fallen!
❄️ Remember to tag us in your snow reports @ECCCWeatherON
Alerts in effect https://t.co/BWPUpDWbxS#ONStorm pic.twitter.com/pnFKU4U1Yh
Measuring around 38 centimeters on my back deck in #Brockville from the #LakeEffectSnow on Saturday. It’s up to my knees in some areas around the yard. #ONStorm @ctvottawa pic.twitter.com/o41H2Wz8GL
— Nate Vandermeer (@NateCTV) November 20, 2022
@Muskoka411 HWY 11 NB coming into Orillia #ONStorm pic.twitter.com/0Ka3nwRNfW
— Cait Griffin (@caitgriff94) November 20, 2022
17 inches / 43 cm west of Owen Sound #ONstorm. Exact location for @ECCCWeatherON 44.551827,-81.058152 pic.twitter.com/aElsaO7bfC
— NZP Chasers (@NZPChasers) November 20, 2022
estimates of 3 ft, near wiarton#onstorm #onwx pic.twitter.com/jjxDHfQLfV
— charlie randall (@earthisanocean) November 20, 2022
November 20, 2022Sometimes I love getting up with the sun. Every during the worst weather - you can get lucky with the beauty. #onstorm pic.twitter.com/ZQWFzloQOo
— Laura Lucas (@llucas) November 20, 2022
— Alex Todd (@WickedWxON) November 20, 2022
Heavy distant snow squalls effecting Sandbanks Provincial Park, South Prince Edward County on Friday. View from Wellington #onwx #onstorm #snow #snowsqualls #LakeEffectSnow pic.twitter.com/PGSKg5DaIk
— Bran_wx (@BranWx) November 20, 2022
Got about a foot of snow overnight. Happy Sunday! ❄️❤️ #ONStorm #muskoka #PortSydney pic.twitter.com/LSXCrFbUND
— Danny Brown #BringBackMasks (@DannyBrownCA) November 20, 2022
Correction:
A previous version of this article stated a photo was taken in Lackawanna, PA. The photo was actually taken in Lackawanna, N.Y.