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Snow blankets much of the region

A foot or more of snow fell overnight from Friday into Saturday in many areas around Rochester.

As of early afternoon, just over 12 inches of snow were recorded at the Rochester Airport. There were higher amounts in the eastern towns of Monroe County.

You can check some snowfall reports from the National Weather Service here.

A winter storm warning for the Rochester area was canceled just after 9:30 am on Saturday.

Temperatures took a tumble as well, falling from the 50s earlier in the day on Friday, down to the teens by Saturday. That ‘flash freeze’ also made roads very slick in spots and contributed to some accidents.

In the City of Rochester, officials are particularly focusing on getting people to follow alternate side of the street parking rules to aid with snow clearing efforts.

“Our crews will be working hard throughout the night and into the morning to clear the roads, however these conditions present particular challenges, so we need cooperation from our citizens,” said Norman Jones, Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Services. “So I am asking our citizens to please exercise caution, only drive if necessary, abide by alternate side parking restrictions, and give plows plenty of space to do their jobs.”

Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo says that the county’s Office of Emergency Management will continue to monitor local conditions, also utilizing new software that helps towns and villages coordinate snow clearing efforts.

Early Saturday morning Livingston County Sheriff Tom Dougherty  issued a “no unnecessary travel” advisory until further notice. He says deputies have continued to handle several vehicles sliding off the road through the overnight, and with snow and ice underneath, it presents challenging driving conditions.

The advisory does not mandate a restriction on travel but does advise that
hazardous conditions exist and no unnecessary travel is recommended. Ontario County deputies also had an advisory for no unnecessary travel that was issued overnight.

Also, the local malls,  (Eastview Mall, The Marketplace Mall and The Mall at Greece Ridge) are delaying opening until Noon on Saturday.

The forecast calls for another couple of inches of snow during the day on Saturday with a high in the mid-teens. Sunday should see some sun, with a high of only 13 degrees.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.