A Snowstorm in New York Local officials said Monday that more than a dozen people died after a Christmas weekend that paralyzed western New York as crews battled snow around Buffalo during one of the worst winters in decades—trying to find a way out of the storm.
With more than 4 feet (1.2 meters) of snow falling on Buffalo since the blizzard formed on Friday, New York’s second-largest city stood as ground zero for what the governor called an “epic, once-in-a-lifetime” weather disaster.
The number of confirmed storm-related deaths in Buffalo and the rest of Erie County rose to 27 on Monday, up from 13 the night before. According to county executive Mark Poloncarz, the fatalities included people found in snow banks and cars, as well as people who died from cardiac stress while plowing or blowing snow.
The county issued a “Shovel Smart” alert, warning that “shoveling heavy, wet snow can cause back injuries and heart attacks.” At least 60 lives have been lost in weather-related incidents nationwide, from a deep arctic freeze and sprawling storm front that extended over most of the United States for days, as far south as the Mexican border.
