Snow piles up in Niagara

Jan. 18—A winter weather advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. Tuesday following a winter storm that dumped 20 inches of snow in some parts of Niagara County on Monday.

The National Weather Service Buffalo office was calling for another 3 to 6 inches overnight with blowing snow conditions in the morning. Winds gusts as high as 45 mph were expected.

On Monday, the hamlet of Rapids in the Town of Lockport recorded Niagara County's top snowfall of 21 inches, according to numbers posted at 5 p.m. by the National Weather Service Buffalo. Other areas in the city and town of Lockport saw 20 inches to 18 inches of snowfall. Lewiston also recorded 20 inches on the eastern side of the county. Niagara Falls received 17 inches of snow. Across the county, snowfall totals ranged from 21 inches to 15 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

Many local school districts announced Tuesday closings Monday night, including Niagara Falls, Lockport, North Tonawanda, Lockport, Niagara-Wheatfield and Royalton-Hartland.

As the snow fell in the early morning hours of Monday, several municipalities called for driving bans, including Lockport, North Tonawanda and Niagara Falls. Niagara County officials issued a travel advisory for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday.