Winter storm wallops area

All 5 Orleans County districts cancel after-school activities

Photo by Tom Rivers – The photo above shows Gaines Basin Road, just south of Route 104. The photo was taken at about 11:30 a.m. looking south.

It’s nasty with white-out conditions, blowing snow and slippery roads.

Albion, Medina and Lyndonville schools have cancelled all afternoon and evening activities due to the storm. Holley and Kendall will dismiss students early, and both have cancelled after-school events.

Holley will send middle and high schoolers home at 12:30 with elementary students to follow at 1:30 p.m. Kendall will send middle-high school students home at 2 p.m. When the busses return, elementary students will go home.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning until 10 tonight for most of Western New York, including Orleans County. The heaviest snow will be late morning through mid-afternoon across the region, according to the Weather Service. We could get 5 to 9 inches of snow today.

Gov. Cuomo has declared a state-wide emergency due the storm. Some downstate highway crews have severely depleted road salt supplies, the governor said.

Statewide, the state has 1,700 plows, 359 loaders and 4,000 operators on the roads, Cuomo said.

“This is a significant winter storm impacting all regions of the state and we are taking all necessary steps to keep New Yorkers safe,” Cuomo said. “I have declared a state of emergency for all counties so that we can continue our effective and quick response in communities that have been hit the hardest. New Yorkers in affected regions should stay off the roads, check on their neighbors and loved ones, and stay inside their homes until the worst of the storm has passed.”