It has been a week of unsettling drama for residents of Buffalo and other hard-hit areas of western New York who are contending with up to seven feet of snow on the ground around them. The only slight saving grace is that this area is accustomed to huge amounts of lake effect snow so they are decently equipped to handle the clean up. Adding to the pressure is the fact that the temperatures are expected to climb into the mid-40's today, meaning that the snow is melting almost as quickly as it fell and that can mean major flooding.
There's still a travel ban in place for South Buffalo, one of the hardest hit areas that has people working around the clock with dump trucks and other snow removal equipment to clean up the mess. According to the National Weather Service, a flood watch will remain in effect until Monday afternoon when temperatures could actually climb into the 60's. City residents have been told to prepare for the possibility of flooded basements and officials are worried about snow and autumn leaves blocking catch basins.
There is also the fear of roofs collapsing under the weight of heavy snow and more rain that is heading into the region. Thirty major collapses have already been reported in the city and there are many other homes and structures that are starting to crack and creak under the extreme circumstances.
Many long-time residents at first likened this past week to that infamous snow storm of 1977. By the time the weekend rolled around, this storm was officially declared worse. Residents have said that in '77, the wind blowing made things awful, but they could still walk in it. The current situation is impossible for people to walk through, leaving them fairly trapped until the weather conditions finally change.
