A long-duration lake-effect snowstorm is continuing to pummel the Great Lakes region after dumping 3-5 feet of snow in cities from Michigan to New York that paralyzed travel as people tried to get home after the busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
This has been the first significant lake-effect snowfall of the season, and snow totals have been nothing less than epic in numerous communities.
The highest snowfall totals so far have been found in cities and towns downwind of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario from northwestern Pennsylvania to western and northern New York state.
Portions of Ohio, too, have been impacted, and forecasters say more winter weather is on the way before the system begins to finally wind down on Tuesday.
The impacts from the historic lake-effect snowstorm have been far-reaching, not only because of the sheer amount of snow that fell but also because of the intense snowfall rates reaching up to 4 inches per hour, which overwhelmed crews who were relentlessly working around the clock to remove the snow and ice from roads and highways such as the heavily traveled Interstate 90 from New York state to Ohio.
I-90 had been closed along that busy stretch due to dangerous winter weather that had affected travel in the region.
