You can run … but you can’t hide
Old Man Winter finds Western New York again
Winter didn’t sneak in, breeze in or creep in this year. It slid in.
Motorists found that out quickly.
The OBSERVER contacted the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, whose dispatcher confirmed that there were “too many (car accidents) to count (at the time).” Deputies headed north, south, east and west as they hurried to assist drivers who found themselves off the road and in ditches due to slick slush and ice.
Not to be outdone, snow had its say, too. According to the National Weather Service, as of Thursday afternoon, 11.3 inches had fallen in Perrysburg, and 8 inches had fallen in Forestville. Other areas experienced accumulation and drifts, with snow alternating between hard, hail-like balls to fluffy soft stuff.
Media sources say that a school bus carrying 31 students went off the roadway in Gowanda on Route 62 Thursday afternoon, though fortunately, no injuries were reported. The driver allegedly slid into a guardrail due to the slippery conditions, after which students were transferred from the bus and crews removed the vehicle from the road.
In Sinclairville, a pregnant woman was involved in an auto accident Thursday on Route 60 at about 12:30 p.m., which shut down the roadway for a time.
She suffered minor injuries, due to reports, and was transferred to a hospital for further evaluation. Responding agencies included the Sinclairville Fire Department and New York State Police.
At SUNY Fredonia, “Roads were messy,” said Dr. Brian Boisvert, assistant professor of Hispanic Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition, “but facilities did a great job keeping up with the storm on campus.”
Due to these unsafe driving conditions, many schools and municipalities canceled activities and meetings. The Fredonia and Forestville school districts canceled after-school activities Thursday, while Dunkirk schools thought ahead and canceled after-school activities for today. Forestville’s Middle and High School concert has been rescheduled for Dec. 20 at 7 p.m.
The city of Dunkirk canceled municipal office hours today as well, due to the forecasted storm. Also canceled was the annual meeting of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, scheduled for today at Shorewood Country Club, though it has not yet been rescheduled.
The village of Gowanda had a travel advisory in effect Thursday, and residents are asked to continue to exercise extra care while on roadways.
At the time of this report, a lake-effect snow warning remains in effect. So, if you don’t have to go anywhere, don’t.
Besides, cold weather and slippery roads give you the perfect excuse to stay home, pop in a movie, and hide under an afghan on the couch.
COMMENTS