Stunning photos show New York homes covered in ice as blizzard hits

Houses along Hoover Beach are covered by ice from high winds and waves
AP
Ellena Cruse2 March 2020

Stunning photos show homes in northern and western New York covered in ice after blizzards swept across rural areas along Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

Homes were turned into icy igloos with some residents having to dig past two feet of snow to get out of their properties.

Winds have blighted the state since Thursday and pictures show houses in the Hoover Beach area covered in snow from strong gusts.

New York resident Duane St Louis said he spent all day on Friday clearing his driveway in Copenhagen despite getting up at 4am.

Blowing snow has fallen around the state since Thursday
AP

“We’ve got banks that are five — over five — foot high,” he told WNNY-TV.

"You won’t see a car coming down through until it’s right on you."

Snow remover Kevin Groff added that he has not had much sleep over the last few days.

"Definitely the biggest of the year that's for sure and one of the top five in my memory," he said.

The heaviest snowfall was concentrated in largely rural areas east of Lake Erie
AP

About two feet of snow fell around the Tug Hill region in northern New York.

South Watertown reported 34 inches and a social media report said four feet of snow fell in Carthage, according to the National Weather Service.

Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo said he was dispatching 15 additional snow plows to the region east of Lake Ontario.

Crew closes a road due to Lake Erie flooding, during a blizzard in New York
REUTERS

The state also sent equipment to hard-hit areas in western New York, east of Lake Erie.

The heavy snow in northern New York was coupled with fierce winds that reduced visibility and created high snow drifts.

“I’ve seen 5 feet of snow before. But this one, you couldn’t see across the street,” John Swinyer told The Associated Press from the Copenhagen Volunteer Fire Department house.

Houses along Hoover Beach are covered in ice after a blizzard hit New York
AP

Mr Swinyer, a volunteer firefighter, spent the night in the firehouse to help out and had to dig a path to get to his truck Friday morning.

“It’s another day in the North Country,” he said.

The National Weather Service has issued a series of watches, warnings and advisories associated with heavy, blowing snow around the state.

The low temperatures, strong winds and waves as high as 18 feet along Lake Erie left the sides of several homes encase in ice on Hoover Beach south of Buffalo, according to WGRZ.

“This storm has the potential to deliver significant accumulations and disrupt daily routines and I am urging New Yorkers in these areas to be prepared and limit unnecessary travel,” Mr Cuomo said.

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