travel ban in ny

Travel ban lifted in Erie County as road conditions improve, warmer weather settles in

A travel ban has been lifted in New York’s Erie County, days after it was put into place as a deadly blizzard swept across the region, at times reducing visibility to zero.

The ban, which was implemented Friday, expired at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, officials said.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown told reporters Wednesday night that the roads were in good enough condition to lift the ban.

“It has been 6 days,” Brown said. “Some people have not been able to restock groceries, to restock medications, to get to medical appointments, and being able to lift the travel ban safely now will allow people to do those important things.”

Most streets in the city are passable, Brown said, and he expected crews to have made a pass down the center of every residential street by the end of the night.

Though the ban has been lifted, a travel advisory was in place for Erie County as cleanup continues and a county-wide state of emergency remained. Brown asked people to be cautious and avoid driving unless necessary.

More than 450 pieces of equipment were on Buffalo streets plowing and hauling snow, and many traffic signals were still not working, he said.

The storm dumped upwards of 20 inches of snow in parts of New York — including nearly 52 inches at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, according to the National Weather Service.

The powerful storm plunged much of the United States into a deep freeze, creating life-threatening conditions as more than 1 million homes and businesses were left in the dark, and wreaking havoc on flight schedules during the busy holiday travel week.

At least 76 people died in the storm, according to an NBC News tally. Erie County accounted for 37 of the deaths, 29 of which were in Buffalo.

Weather-related deaths were also reported in Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, Michigan, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Illinois and Vermont.

In Buffalo, officials said it was possible the number could rise.

Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said Wednesday night that police have cleared the backlog of calls relating to welfare checks, stranded motorists and reports of bodies.

Search and rescue teams were returning Thursday to check locations where bodies had been reported but could not be confirmed — either because of the amount of snow or the vagueness of location, Gramaglia said.

"We believe there were some credible 911 calls that contained more information ... low single digit numbers, that's again why we're going to concentrate our efforts on hitting those areas," he told reporters.

In Erie County, 17 of the people who died in the blizzard were found outside and four were in a vehicle , according to County Executive Mark Poloncarz.

Several people died because of a delay receiving emergency services or from cardiac events related to shoveling or blowing snow. Of the deaths, nine were people who died because they had no heat in their homes, he said.

Poloncarz said in a tweet Wednesday night that 500 National Guard members have conducted nearly 850 welfare checks on residents who had longterm power outages.

Power was being restored to New York, and by early Thursday, about 400 customers in the state were without electricity, according to PowerOutage.us .

In Buffalo, where more than 20,000 customers were without power at one point during the storm, only three had no electricity Wednesday night, according to Brown, the mayor.

On Wednesday, city offices, facilities and roadways opened, as temperatures rose into the 40s across parts of New York.

Buffalo Niagara International Airport, which has been closed since Friday , reopened Wednesday.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday night that all major state highways in western New York, including the Erie County portion of Interstate 190 and several state routes, would reopen at midnight.

“I am extremely grateful to all the highway maintenance workers, first responders and emergency service staff who continue to work tirelessly to help their fellow New Yorkers," Hochul said in a statement .   

The temperature is expected to continue climbing to the low-50s in the Buffalo region by Friday, and will help melt the accumulated snow, according to the National Weather Service .

Claire Cardona is a breaking news editor for NBC News Digital.

'This is going to be a dangerous storm.' Travel bans issued ahead of winter storm

Due to the weekend storm, Gov. Kathy Hochul has issued a full travel ban across Erie County beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday.

In addition, all commercial traffic will be banned on the New York State Thruway between exit 46 (Henrietta) and the Pennsylvania State Line.

Bot travel bans will be in effect until further notice.

"This is going to be a dangerous storm," Hochul said at a noon press conference on Saturday.

Winter storm warning issued for western New York

A winter storm warning has been issued for parts of western New York, including Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Niagara, and Orleans counties, from Saturday afternoon through Monday morning.

Heavy lake effect snow, reaching 1 to 3 feet in some areas, along with strong winds up to 65 mph, is expected.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo warns of significant blowing and drifting snow, leading to difficult to impossible travel conditions over the weekend.

A high wind warning is also in effect for Rochester and parts of western and central New York, with gusts up to 50-65 mph expected through Saturday night.

Buffalo Bills vs. Pittsburgh Steelers playoff game postponed

The NFL, Buffalo Bills, New York State, and Erie County officials on Saturday postponed the AFC wild-card game between the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers to Monday at 4:30 p.m. due to the forecasted dangerous weather in Buffalo. The was scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.

C ontact Robert Bell at: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @byrobbell & Instagram:  @ byrobbell. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.

Burn ban in effect across New York State, what it means and safety tips

S YRACUSE, N.Y. -  It's that time of the year again where the weather is nice enough to enjoy a campfire outdoors. However, this time of year is especially dangerous for wildfires. This is why a burn ban is in place from March 16th through May14th.

What is prohibited during the burn ban? This includes burning trash, burning brush & leaves, and burning on windy days. Also, you cannot have a campfire any larger than 3 feet high and 4 feet wide. Do not leave any fire unattended.

In order for the wildfire danger level to be high, we need favorable weather conditions. This includes low relative humidity, a dry ground & brush, and strong wind. These can be issued anytime from spring to summer and fall. When the wildfire danger level is high make sure you use caution when having campfires, no burning brush or large fires, and no fireworks.

If you're going to have a campfire anytime this spring or summer, here's some safety tips to remember. Only burn in designated firepits at parks and campgrounds. In your own backyard, use rocks or bricks surrounding the fire to contain it. Keep flammable objects away from the fire including your extra logs of wood, kindling, charcoal, and lighter fluid. Keep water nearby to put out the fire out in case it gets out of hand. Plus, make sure you always fully extinguish the fire when you are done before you leave.

To find out when our next threat for wildfires is, check out our latest forecast on the Weather Authority page. CLICK HERE!

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Coming to Alabama: Newsom’s Abortion-Access Ad, Depicting an Arrest

The ad portrays a woman trying to leave the state to have an abortion. The Campaign for Democracy, a political action committee started by Mr. Newsom, the California governor, created it.

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By Neil Vigdor

• April 21, 2024

A woman nervously peers into her rearview mirror as a patrolman activates his car’s lights and sirens. She is less than a mile from leaving Alabama to seek abortion services, but it’s too late: The next thing she knows, she is being handed a pregnancy test and is handcuffed.

The encounter is depicted in an unvarnished new television ad called “Fugitive.” The Campaign for Democracy, a political action committee created by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Democrat of California, produced the ad.

It will appear on Monday in Alabama, where Republicans have called for prosecuting women who travel elsewhere for an abortion. The state’s abortion ban, one of the nation’s strictest, outlaws the procedure at all stages of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape and incest.

“Trump Republicans want to criminalize young Alabama women who travel for reproductive care,” the ad’s narrator says.

The ad then shows the patrolman approaching the vehicle: “Miss, I’m going to need you to step out of the vehicle,” he says, tapping the kit on the driver’s side door, “take a pregnancy test.”

The ad is scheduled to run on broadcast and cable television, along with digital platforms like YouTube, for two weeks, according to the PAC. The cost of the ad buy was not immediately available.

Alabama’s attorney general, Steve Marshall, a Republican, has clashed with the Justice Department and abortion assistance providers over whether the state has the authority to prosecute individuals or groups that help women leave the state to have the procedure.

Last month, Republicans introduced a bill in the Alabama House that would make it a misdemeanor to harbor or transport a minor to seek abortion services.

Mr. Newsom has emerged as a key surrogate for President Biden while harboring future White House ambitions of his own. He has regularly skirmished with G.O.P. governors and Republican-led states over abortion access, immigration, crime and other issues.

While Republicans have seized on crossings at the southern border in their messaging, Democrats have harnessed the issue of abortion-access after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. It helped propel Democratic candidates to key victories during the midterm elections in 2022 and in races last year.

In February, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos were people with rights, casting a cloud of uncertainty over in vitro fertilization. The state later passed a law giving I.V.F. clinics criminal and civil immunity, but it did not address whether embryos have the legal status of human beings.

In another seismic ruling, the Arizona Supreme Court this month upheld an 1864 law that bans nearly all abortions. The decision could have far-reaching consequences for women’s health care and election-year politics in the state, a critical political battleground.

Mr. Newsom said in a social media post at the time that California, which borders Arizona, would provide a refuge for women affected by the decision.

“Arizona wasn’t even a state — it was a territory — when this draconian abortion ban was passed,” he said. “That’s how extreme this is. California remains ready to help Arizonans access reproductive health care.”

Neil Vigdor covers politics for The Times, focusing on voting rights issues and election disinformation. More about Neil Vigdor