Lake-effect snow machine to operate at full force through early week

The end of Erie, Pennsylvania's, record-setting snow event is still days away as the lake-effect snow machine continues to operate through early this week.

Erie has topped 121 inches of snow during December 2017. The average annual snowfall is 100.9 inches.

Less snow will fall on Erie with this round of lake-effect, as opposed to the several feet of snow that buried the region a few days ago.

As residents continue to dig themselves out of this past week’s snow, road crews will continue to treat and plow roads and shovel sidewalks into the first days of 2018.

Lake-effect snow is expected to pester these areas through Tuesday.

Blustery snow squalls will make for difficult travel as road conditions can deteriorate within seconds.

“Snow squalls are notorious for triggering chain-reaction vehicle accidents due to sudden drops in visibility and rapidly deteriorating roadway conditions,” warned AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff.

While these will be most frequent and heaviest near the lakes, squalls can travel quite far, impacting inland portions of highways spanning Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.

Motorists should obey all warnings and slow down or pull over completely in any snow squalls.

In case of car troubles or an accident in the extreme cold, anyone out and about should make sure their vehicle is stocked with blankets and knitted hats and gloves.

The lake-effect snow machine will wind down later Monday downwind of lakes Superior and Michigan, before the snow off of lakes Erie and Ontario quickly follows suit later Tuesday.

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