The winter storm coming down on Buffalo and western New York ahead of Christmas is being described as a "once-in-a-generation" occurrence by the National Weather Service (NWS).
The proclamation comes amid one of the busiest travel periods of the year, when most of the Great Lakes area is under winter storm watches and warnings.
Winter storm prep
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"This once-in-a-lifetime storm will bring strong winds east of Lake Ontario Thursday night into Friday morning, then across a greater covering of our region Friday into Saturday," the National Weather Service's Buffalo office stated on Wednesday, as per Fox News.
"Winds might blow beyond 65 mph, resulting in sporadic power disruptions, if not widespread outages," it warned.
Residents in that area are being warned of a "quick change from rain to snow with dramatically lowering temperatures into the teens and single digits" that would "result in a flash freeze on Friday."
This weekend, wind chills as low as 10 to 20 below zero could induce frostbite on exposed flesh in as little as 30 minutes.
During the week before Thanksgiving, one storm dumped more than 80 inches of snow on the city's outskirts of Orchard Park and Hamburg.
Americans in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes region, where more than one foot (30cm) of snow is forecast in certain locations, should follow a home storm preparedness rule of thumb, as per the BBC News.
"The first 72 are on you," said Eric Stern, a professor in the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity at the University of Albany.
Individuals and families should have enough food, water, and medications to last at least 72 hours, or three days.
Prof Stern advised being prepared with supplies for even longer periods of time, especially for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those with medical concerns.
Michael Muccilli, the National Weather Service's winter program coordinator, recommends stocking up on first aid supplies, a torch, and batteries in case of a power loss.
People should also have an emergency heat source, such as a well-ventilated generator, as well as a working carbon monoxide detector.
Winter supplies are also important, such as ice melt salt and a spade for clearing heavy snow from pavements and driveways.
According to experts, some driving situations are simply too risky.
If a blizzard warning is in force in your region, Mr. Muccilli advised staying at home until the warning has gone.
Blizzard conditions include visibility of less than a quarter mile (400m) with winds of more than 35 miles per hour (56 kilometers per hour).
"Those two factors together can cause whiteout situations where you simply cannot see right in front of you," Mr Muccilli explained.
Drivers evaluate predictions and conditions for crucial spots along the route as well as the destination for longer trips.
Before embarking on a winter vacation, travelers should strive to be "well rested, well nourished, and well hydrated," according to Dr Stern, adding that their car should be in good shape and equipped with snow tires.
According to experts, drivers should have a full tank of gas in their car as well as an emergency supply pack comprising warm clothes, a mobile phone charger, jumper cables, a first aid kit, as well as salt, a snow shovel, and a snow brush in case their car becomes stuck.
Travelers should give additional time to reach their destination and drive slower than normal since the roads may be slippery.
