A Lake Effect Snow Warning is in effect for Northern Erie, Niagara, Orleans and Genesee counties from 8:00 Thursday night to 6:00 Friday morning.
The National Weather Service in western New York says an historic snowfall may be in store overnight for the Buffalo area.
According to the National Weather Service, a westerly flow of unseasonably cold air circulating around a very intense storm over Lake Superior will continue to pour into western New York tonight. The cold air crossing the 60 degree lake will produce bands of intense lake effect snow.
The precipitation may initially be mixed rain, hail and wet snow. But the National Weather service says much of it will change over to snow later Thursday night, as the core of the coldest air moves through.
The lake effect bands are expected to be heaviest in Buffalo's northern suburbs, like Amherst, Tonawanda, and northward into Niagara County.
One to three inches of snow could fall in the areas, the National Weather Service says 6 inches or more is not out of the question.
Heavy snow in the Buffalo Metro area this early in the season is unprecedented. The National Weather Service says there is still plenty of doubt as to any snowfall accumulation because the ground and lake are still very warm.
A wet snow may even cause some power outages. Most trees still have leaves on them, and the snow could cause damage, resulting in outages.
Conditions should improve quickly Friday morning as the lake effect activity moves further north and becomes mainly rain.