SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
1044 PM EST THU DEC 19 1996

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS CONTINUING A WINTER STORM WARNING
FOR LAKE EFFECT SNOW TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY FOR PARTS OF WESTERN
YORK...INCLUDING SOUTHERN ERIE...WYOMING...CHAUTAUQUA AND NORTHERN
CATTARAUGUS COUNTIES...

VERY COLD AIR FLOWING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE
SOME VERY HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW DOWNWIND OF LAKE ERIE.

A SINGLE INTENSE SNOWBAND THAT STRETCHES ACROSS SOUTHERN ERIE AND
WYOMING COUNTIES INTO EXTREME NORTHERN CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY HAS PRODUCED
SOME TREMENDOUS SNOWFALLS FROM EARLY THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY
TONIGHT.

SNOW SPOTTERS OVER SOUTHERN ERIE COUNTY HAVE REPORTED SNOW FALLING AT
THE RATE OF 4 INCHES PER HOUR. SOME SNOWFALL TOTALS INCLUDE...15 TO
20 INCHES IN THE TOWNS OF THE TOWNS OF BRANT AND NORTH
COLLINS...WHILE OVER 2 FEET OF NEW SNOW HAS ACCUMULATED IN GOWANDA.
OUTSIDE OF THE AREA OF HEAVIEST SNOW...A GENERAL 6 TO 10 INCHES OF
SNOW HAS FALLEN FROM DUNKIRK TO ANGOLA.

THE INTENSE LAKE ERIE SNOWBAND WILL PRODUCE A GENERAL 6 TO 12 INCHES
OF NEW SNOW IN THE WARNING AREA TONIGHT WITH OVER A FOOT OF NEW SNOW
EXPECTED ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHERN ERIE COUNTY. THE SNOW SQUALLS WILL
CONTINUE ON FRIDAY AND WILL PRODUCE AN ADDITIONAL 6 T0 12 INCHES OF
SNOW.

FOR A SHORT TIME TONIGHT...THE WINDS IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE
ATMOSPHERE MAY SHIFT TO THE SOUTHWEST. THIS WIND SHIFT WILL DIRECT
THE SNOWBAND INTO THE SOUTH TOWNS OF BUFFALO WHERE A QUICK 2 TO 4
INCHES OF NEW SNOW COULD ACCUMULATE.

IN THE BUFFALO AREA AND NORTHWARD...LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS MAY PRODUCE AN
INCH OR TWO OF NEW SNOW OVERNIGHT.

TRAVEL TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY WILL BE VERY HAZARDOUS IN THE WARNING
AREA. THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY SNOW AND GUSTY WESTERLY WINDS WILL
PRODUCE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. F YOU MUST TRAVEL IN THE WARNING
AREA...BE PREPARED FOR HARSH WINTER CONDITIONS. CARRY EXTRA FOOD AND
BLANKETS IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE YOU BECOME STRANDED IN THE SNOW.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE INFORMATION FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND NOWCASTS WHICH
WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON THE LOCATION AND MOVEMENT OF THE SNOW SQUALL
BANDS TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.

TJP