The city of Buffalo, a place where extreme winter is not unknown, broke all records with the same massive storm that blew across most of the country. Via the Buffalo News:
At least 17 people were dead, and authorities said there was no question that the death toll would increase.
Some of those who died were found frozen to death in their cars. Others were found on the ground, including a Buffalo man. Sophia Clay said her brother’s body was found near a convenience store at Kensington and Bailey sometime around 2 a.m. Saturday, but authorities couldn’t get to him until 9 p.m. that night. Some had medical emergencies in the height of the storm, and there was no way an ambulance could get to them in time. One died from carbon monoxide poisoning from a blocked furnace vent.
As blistering blizzard conditions swept the region, about 500 motorists found themselves stranded in their vehicles Friday night into Saturday morning, according to Poloncarz, who described frightening conditions on the road.
“Think about looking just a few feet in front of you at a sheet of white for more than 24 hours in a row. That’s what it was like outside in the worst conditions,” he said. “It was continual blizzard and white outs such that no one could see where they were going. Nobody had any idea what was happening.”
