What is lake-effect snow?

Snow that forms when cold air, often from Canada, crosses the open, relatively warm water of the Great Lakes. The air picks up heat and moisture, rises, and builds narrow bands of snow that can fall at 2 to 3 inches per hour or more, according to the National Weather Service.

Where does lake-effect snow hit on I-90 between Erie and Buffalo?

It moves with the wind, but NWS Buffalo storm summaries repeatedly name the Thruway south of Buffalo, between Hamburg, Angola and Dunkirk, and Chautauqua County toward the Pennsylvania line. Erie County, Pennsylvania is forecast by NWS Cleveland; this page shows active alerts from both offices.

Where do I check I-90 closures and truck restrictions?

511PA for the Pennsylvania stretch and 511NY or the Thruway Authority traffic map for New York. Both announce closures and commercial-vehicle bans as they are put in place.

I-90 · PA / NY

I-90 from Erie to Buffalo: road conditions right now

Erie, PA to Buffalo, NY

I-90 follows the Lake Erie shore from Erie, Pennsylvania, past Ripley and Dunkirk to Buffalo, becoming the New York State Thruway at the state line. This is the Lake Erie snow belt: NWS Buffalo storm records show lake-effect bands closing the Thruway south of Buffalo several times in recent winters while other stretches stayed open.

Plan this drive for your departure time

Conditions at Wed, 3:02 AM EST

Highest risk along I-90: 1 of 5 (low), departing at that time.

No active NWS alerts on this route.

The road authority linked below has the final word on closures and chain requirements.

Right now: LOW riskdeparting Wed, 4:00 AM EST from Erie, PA

Clear driving for the whole 1 h 36 min.

Conditions: Clear

Plan this drive with your own departure timeChecked Wed, 3:02 AM EST. Updates hourly.

Checkpoints along I-90

Where	You pass	Weather	Risk	Why
Erie, PA	Wed 4:00 AM	62°Fpavement 60°F	low	Nothing flagged
Westfield, NY	Wed 4:30 AM	61°F	low	Nothing flagged
Silver Creek, NY	Wed 5:00 AM	59°F	low	Nothing flagged
Buffalo, NY	Wed 5:30 AM – 5:35 AM	62°F	low	Nothing flagged

Why this stretch is hard in winter

The NWS says lake-effect clouds grow into narrow bands, and heavy snow can fall in one place while the sun shines a mile or two away, so conditions can change within a few exits.
In the November 17-20, 2022 lake-effect storm, NWS Buffalo recorded 81.2 inches at Hamburg, and the Thruway was shut from Rochester to the Pennsylvania line for a period.
In January 2026, heavy lake-effect snow closed the Thruway near Dunkirk, and several dozen stranded motorists sheltered overnight at the Angola rest area (NWS Buffalo storm summary).
Ahead of lake-effect bands, PennDOT restricts trucks, trailers, RVs, buses and motorcycles on I-90 across Erie County and can cut the speed limit to 45 mph for all vehicles, as it announced for January 1, 2025.

What this page checks

Hourly forecast at every checkpoint for the time you would be there: temperature, precipitation type and rate, gusts, visibility.
Active National Weather Service watches, warnings, and advisories on the route.
Snow on the ground (NOAA SNODAS) and the Weather Prediction Center winter impact outlook.
Pavement temperature and surface state from state DOT road sensors, when you are leaving within a few hours.
Chain controls, closures, and winter road condition reports from state DOT feeds where they are published openly.
Seasonal closures of mountain roads the router might otherwise use.

Official sources for this corridor

Questions drivers ask about I-90

What is lake-effect snow?: Snow that forms when cold air, often from Canada, crosses the open, relatively warm water of the Great Lakes. The air picks up heat and moisture, rises, and builds narrow bands of snow that can fall at 2 to 3 inches per hour or more, according to the National Weather Service.
Where does lake-effect snow hit on I-90 between Erie and Buffalo?: It moves with the wind, but NWS Buffalo storm summaries repeatedly name the Thruway south of Buffalo, between Hamburg, Angola and Dunkirk, and Chautauqua County toward the Pennsylvania line. Erie County, Pennsylvania is forecast by NWS Cleveland; this page shows active alerts from both offices.
Where do I check I-90 closures and truck restrictions?: 511PA for the Pennsylvania stretch and 511NY or the Thruway Authority traffic map for New York. Both announce closures and commercial-vehicle bans as they are put in place.

Conditions change by the hour. This page is a planning aid built on public forecasts and DOT feeds; the road authority linked above has the final word on closures and chain requirements.

Nearby corridors: I-80 across Pennsylvania · I-90 (Thruway) from Buffalo to Albany · I-81 from Harrisburg to Syracuse · I-81 from Syracuse to Watertown · I-95 from New York to Boston · I-94 from Chicago to Detroit · all corridors