Gov. Hochul requests federal emergency declaration after historic snowstorm

NEW YORK - Governor Kathy Hochul is asking for a federal emergency declaration after this weekend's massive snowstorm that slammed parts of western and upstate New York.

As of Sunday, 77 inches (nearly 6.5 feet) of snow has buried Orchard Park, New York, where the Buffalo Bills were originally scheduled to host the Cleveland Browns at Highmark Stadium on Sunday, but the game has been moved to Ford Field in Detroit because of the historic snowstorm.

Once approved, Hochul said the Emergency Declaration would provide immediate federal funding to impacted counties to support ongoing response and rescue operations.

On Thursday evening, all commercial traffic was banned along a 132-mile stretch of the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) from Rochester, New York, to the Pennsylvania border. I-90 was reopened to all traffic in both directions at Exit 46 to the Pennsylvania state line on Sunday morning, but commercial speed restrictions remain in effect.

At least two deaths were attributed to the storm by an Erie County, New York official. The official said two residents passed away after suffering cardiac issues while trying to remove the snow and cautioned that the snow is heavy and can be dangerous.

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