Bitterly cold temperatures, strong winds and heavy lake effect snow is causing travel problems and school closings and delays around the region late Monday and Tuesday.
Wind chill warnings are in effect for the region until Tuesday evening. Temperatures on Tuesday are expected to only climb into the single digits, but wind chills are expected to be as low as -20 to -30. In addition to the frigid temperatures, up to 5 feet of lake effect snow is expected north of Syracuse, mainly affecting northern Oswego County, Jefferson County and Lewis County. A lake effect snow warning is in effect for those areas until Wednesday.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday declared a state of emergency for 14 New York counties, including Jefferson, Lewis and Oswego counties. The governor ordered Interstate 81 closed in both directions from the Exit 33 (Parish) to Exit 45 (Watertown) effective at 8 p.m. Monday night.
