Buffalo: A relentless storm dubbed the “blizzard of the century” ravaged western New York over the Christmas weekend. The storm has already killed at least 60 people nationwide and 27 in New York. According to media reports, local officials said on Monday that efforts are being made to clear the snow-covered area around Buffalo, while rescue operations are still underway. At 10 a.m. on Monday, the National Weather Service reported that the snow depth at Buffalo Niagara International Airport was 49.2 inches (1.25 m). According to officials, according to media reports, the airport will remain closed till Wednesday morning. More than 15,000 flights across the United States were recently canceled due to severe storms, ferocious winds and below-freezing temperatures.
The storm sent temperatures well below freezing across much of the US and ruined Christmas Eve for many. As it pounded areas, the storm produced hurricane-force winds and whiteout conditions. The storm disrupted all forms of transportation — planes, trains and vehicles — this holiday weekend, causing the cancellation of hundreds of miles of road and air travel.
Total flight delays in, in or out of the US stood at nearly 4,000 as of Saturday morning, according to flight tracking website FlightAware, which showed that total US flight cancellations stood at nearly 2,000, according to CNN. Coldest temperatures on record were predicted for Christmas Eve in many cities from Pennsylvania to Georgia.
(With ANI inputs)