Dangerous Winter Storm to Slam Upstate New York

If you live in Upstate New York… buckle up. Winter is about to remind us who’s in charge.

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect through 4 PM Wednesday, January 21, and this one is no joke. Forecasters say parts of the region could see 2 to 4 FEET of snow — yes, feet — with the worst of it aimed right at Watertown, Fort Drum, and the Tug Hill plateau.

Whiteouts Possible

At times, snow could be falling at an unbelievable rate of 4 inches per hour, with winds gusting up to 45 mph. That combo means blowing, drifting, and even whiteout conditions. Translation: travel could go from “slow” to “don’t even try” pretty fast.

Get our free mobile app

The timing isn’t great either. This storm could significantly impact commutes from Monday through Wednesday, and the gusty winds may bring down tree branches and cause a few scattered power outages. Add in wind chills dropping to zero and even 10 below, and it’s officially full-on Upstate winter mode.

READ MORE: Snowy Chaos on I-81 - Video Shows Massive Pileup

Western New York Gets it Too

It’s not just Upstate — Western New York will get hammered too!

Niagara, Orleans, Northern Erie, and Genesee counties could see 10–20 inches of snow with winds gusting up to 50 mph, creating whiteouts and drifting.

Travel will be extremely dangerous!

Stay Home

Bottom line: if you don’t have to go anywhere, don’t. Stock up now, charge your devices, and maybe start negotiating snow-blowing shifts with the neighbors.

If you were planning to travel through Western or Upstate New York, you may want to delay those plans until the end of the week.

Central New York just has the frigid wind chills to worry about on Tuesday, January 20. Temps could feel like 15 below. Bundle up!

Utica/Rome Long Range Forecast

M.L.King Day: A chance of snow showers, mainly after 2 PM. Partly sunny, with a high near 27.
Monday Night: A chance of snow showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 10. Wind chill values as low as -4.
Tuesday: A chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 17. Wind chill values as low as -6.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 7.
Wednesday: A chance of snow showers in the afternoon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29.
Wednesday Night: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24.
Thursday: Snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 33.
Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 12.
Friday: A chance of snow showers in the afternoon. Partly sunny, with a high near 19.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around -5.
Saturday: Partly sunny and cold, with a high near 6.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around -7.
Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 11.