Governor Kathy Hochul declared a State of Emergency in 11 western and northern New York counties this afternoon. The reason for the declaration is two impressive Lake Effect Snow showers coming almost directly east of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

A lake-effect storm blanketed parts of the Great Lakes region with snow on Friday, closing highways on one of the biggest travel weekends of the year. Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York declared a state of emergency in 11 counties.

The greatest snow totals are expected around Watertown in New York’s Tug Hill Plateau, as well as between Erie, Pennsylvania, and Buffalo.

Lake-effect snow generated by the Great Lakes is among the heaviest snowfall in the world. The ingredients are straightforward and come together a number of times each fall and winter. Cold air from Canada pours over the still unfrozen, relatively warm Great Lakes, the world's largest group of freshwater lakes.