Orleans facing 3 different weather advisors with snow, bitter cold

Photo by Tom Rivers: East State Street is blanketed in snow on Thursday morning with the Presbyterian Church in the background.

Orleans County is facing three different weather advisories.

A cold weather advisory just went into effect at 10 a.m. and continues until 10 a.m. on Saturday. There will be bitterly cold wind chills as low as 15 to 20 below zero in Orleans, Genesee, Niagara and northern Erie counties.

“This is a potentially hazardous situation to be outdoors,” stated the National Weather Service in Buffalo. “If you must be outside, be sure to cover all exposed skin. Frostbite can occur in 30 minutes or less with apparent temperatures of 15 below zero or colder.”

A second weather advisory begins today at 3 p.m. until 10 a.m. on Saturday. The winter weather advisory calls for 3 to 5 inches, with gusts as high as 40 miles per hour producing blowing and drifting snow.

This advisory includes Orleans, Monroe, Wayne and northern Cayuga counties.

“Lake effect snow will fall in relatively narrow bands,” said the National Weather Service in Buffalo. “If traveling, be prepared for rapidly changing road conditions and visibilities.”

A winter storm warning goes into effect from Saturday night through Monday evening with heavy snow expected. Snow will develop from south to north Sunday morning through midday, with the heaviest snow later Sunday afternoon through Monday morning, the Weather Service said.