More than 3,000 Rochester Gas & Electric customers are without power Monday evening as high winds blow through the Rochester region.
As of 5:20 p.m., the largest number of outages was in Chili. Other areas with significant outages are Greece, Gates and Webster.
A high wind warning is in effect until 1 a.m. Tuesday for several counties, including Monroe, Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties, according to the National Weather Service.
The warning notes that damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines; shallow-rooted trees in saturated ground are more susceptible to falling. Also, travel for high-profile vehicles may be difficult.
Wind gusts of more than 75 mph have been recorded Monday afternoon, the weather service said, and winds are expected to remain strong before gradually decreasing later Monday.
Wires are down in several spots in Monroe County, according to the county's 911 incidents log.
There is also a winter weather advisory in effect from 4 p.m. Monday to 7 a.m. Tuesday. The weather service says Monroe County could see 3 to 6 inches of snow, and with the gusting winds, that could "significantly reduce visibility."
Those hazardous conditions will affect the Monday evening and Tuesday morning commutes, the weather service said.
On Monday afternoon, Gov. Kathy Hochul expanded New York’s State of Emergency statewide as the storm affects much of upstate New York, creating whiteout conditions in several areas.
Lake effect snow is expected to continue off the shores of Lakes Erie and Ontario for the majority of the week, Hochul said in a release, and while winds are expected to subside to 30 to 40 mph, whiteout conditions remain a possibility in parts of western and central New York on Tuesday.
“My message to New Yorkers remains the same: monitor local forecasts, avoid travel, and stay prepared,” she said. “Plow crews, emergency management teams and utility personnel continue to work to keep New Yorkers safe, and we stand ready to deploy additional resources anywhere they are needed throughout the storm.”
The governor's office said an empty tractor-trailer and tandem ban is in effect on the New York State Thruway from Exit 46 (Rochester–Corning – I-390) to the Pennsylvania state line.
The office said residents can sign up for real-time weather and emergency alerts that will be texted to their phones by texting your county's name to 333111.
