Winter storm Elliott – latest: Driving ban lifted in Buffalo as blizzard deaths hit 38

Buffalo region worst affected in US with at least 38 deaths after blizzard dumped 50 inches of snow on city

‘Dangerous situation’ in Buffalo as storm kills dozens across US

One of the coldest Christmases in modern memory has left more than 60 people dead across the US, with 38 people killed in and around the city of Buffalo, which was hammered by over 50 inches of snow.

Nearly a week after the extreme blizzard, the driving ban in Buffalo was lifted on Thursday, although motorists have been advised to be careful around snow-removal equipment and at intersections.

“Hundreds of very large pieces of equipment will still be out clearing streets from curb-to-curb,” Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz warned in a tweet.

Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Poloncarz confirmed three additional deaths, marking the deadliest storm in western New York in at least two generations.

National Guard went door to door conducting welfare checks in neighbourhoods that lost electricity. As the city continues to dig out of the storm, the death toll is expected to climb further.

Beyond New York state, winter storm Elliott’s icy bite also saw temperatures plunge to record lows in parts of Montana, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming, and wrought havoc on Christmas travel plans.

Key Points

• Buffalo officials raise death toll to 38
• Buffalo lifts driving ban from midnight
• At least 56 people dead and 20,000 flights affected in winter storm
• PHOTOS: Snow and freezing temperatures hit US
• Mayor slams ‘lowest of the low’ looters in Buffalo

[27 December 2022 19:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

ICYMI: Water crisis across South as pipes freeze and break

Days of freezing temperatures in Deep South areas that usually freeze for only hours are threatening dozens of water systems as burst pipes leak millions of gallons of water.

The problems were happening Monday in large, troubled water systems like Jackson, Mississippi, where residents were required over Christmas to boil water months after most lost service because of a cascade of problems from years of poor maintenance.

They also are happening in Shreveport, Louisiana, where some residents had no water Monday. In Selma, Alabama, the mayor declared a state of emergency because they city worried it would run out of water. Workers at a food bank in Greenville, South Carolina, opened their doors to a rush of water and were trying to save $1 million in food. Police departments around Atlanta said their 911 systems were being overwhelmed by unnecessary emergency calls about broken pipes.

Read on:

[27 December 2022 20:00 · Oliver O'Connell]

Buffalo community struggled through power outages

With the snowstorm came power outages, the majority of which have now been resolved, but many were forced to improvise in difficult conditions.

Shahida Muhammad told WKBW that an outage knocked out power to her one-year-old son’s ventilator. She and the child’s father manually administered breaths from Friday until Sunday when rescuers saw her desperate social media posts and came to their aid. She said her son was doing well despite the ordeal and described him as “a fighter”.

In a makeshift hut in her living room, Trisha LoGrasso was still huddled around a space heater Monday with three of her children and her eldest daughter’s boyfriend. The temperature inside her Buffalo home was 42 degrees (5.5 C). She was without heat because of a gas leak, and burst pipes left her with no running water.

“I’ve lived here my whole life, and this is the worst storm I’ve ever seen,” the 48-year-old said.

Melissa Osmon and her husband James were without power for more than 72 hours in the Buffalo suburb of Williamsville, and would retreat to their car to stay warm for hours at a time.

“We even watched the Buffalo Bills game on our phone,” Osmon said, speaking by phone from her GMC Acadia.

“You can see your breath inside the house,” she said. “That’s how cold it is.”

AP

[27 December 2022 20:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

Hell froze over... literally

A small town in Michigan called Hell, literally froze over when the “bomb cyclone” swept across the US over the Christmas weekend.

[27 December 2022 21:00 · Oliver O'Connell]

Watch: Restaurant enveloped in icicles

A restaurant on the shore of Lake Erie was enveloped in icicles during the blizzard that paralysed western New York state over the Christmas weekend.

[27 December 2022 21:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

Coming up... the big thaw

Freezing air will continue to dominate the eastern half of the US for the early part of the week, but a big warm-up is predicted from Wednesday onwards. By New Year’s Eve, temperatures will likely be above average for the vast majority of the continental US.

The Associated Press reports that officials in Buffalo are already concerned about the potential for flooding as the massive amount of snow begins to thaw.

[27 December 2022 22:00 · Oliver O'Connell]

Blizzard victim trapped in car sends final video to family

A 22-year-old woman has died in the historic Buffalo blizzard after she sent a chilling final video to her family on her way home from work.

Anndel Taylor was driving home on Friday afternoon when her car became stranded in the snow.

She remained trapped inside the car for around 18 hours while Winter Storm Elliot raged on all around her, her family said.

Rachel Sharp reports.

[27 December 2022 22:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

ICYMI: Buffalo Bills players find cars under feet of snow

Players for the Buffalo Bills returned to the storm-hit city after playing in Chicago on Saturday to find their cars under heavy snow.

[27 December 2022 23:00 · Oliver O'Connell]

Watch: Whole Buffalo neighbourhood buried by blizzard

[27 December 2022 23:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

Missing Minnesota Man found dead

A 20-year-old man has been found dead after going missing in Minnesota.

The search for George Musser ended on Christmas Day at around 7pm after his body was found in Baytown Township.

“George’s family has been notified. There is no other information at this time as this case is still under investigation,” police said on Sunday.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

[27 December 2022 23:59 · Oliver O'Connell]

Daring Christmas Day rescue after small plane crashes into frozen creek in Maryland

A Navy veteran and his Marine son rescued a pilot whose small plane crashed into a frozen creek in Maryland.

The daring rescue unfolded at around 10.30am on the morning after Christmas day when Steve Couchman, 71, took off on a solo flight from Lee Airport near Edgewater, according to Maryland State Police.

Rachel Sharp reports.