Updates Sunday: 4.34 p.m. Strong and damaging winds will be coupled with flash freezing into this evening, according to latest statement from the National Weather Service. A wind gust of over 58 m.p.h was recorded at the Rochester Coast Guard GLOS Weather Station at 3.50 p.m. Sunday. A 62 m.p.h gust was recorded at Rochester International Airport. 2.31 p.m. A Special Weather Statement from NWS Buffalo emphasized the danger of the peak wind gusts including the potential for extensive damage to trees and power lines. 11:49 a.m. A high wind warning remains in effect until 10 a.m. Monday. The strongest winds will be Sunday afternoon and evening. Timing of wind gusts Rochester area residents are forecast to feel gusts of 58 m.p.h. after 2 p.m. and gusts of possibly 70 m.p.h and over are most likely between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. Travel in high profile vehicles will be difficult and a ban on empty tractor trailers and tandems on Thruway and Interstate highways goes into effect in Western and Central New York and the Finger Lakes from 10.a.m. Sunday. Dangerous and damaging winds likely will rake the Rochester region for hours Sunday and early Monday, causing power outages, tree damage and other mayhem. Gusts on Sunday could reach 75 mph in some areas, the National Weather Service said Friday morning, when it issued a high wind warning for much of the region. A high wind watch had been in effect previously. The strongest winds are likely to be farther west in Erie, Genesee, Orleans and Niagara counties. In central Monroe County, the peak wind gusts were forecast to reach 65 to 70 mph. The winds will be unusually persistent, picking up to damaging levels at mid-morning Sunday and continuing into Monday, forecasters said. "Power may be out for several days in some areas. Shallow rooted pines will be particularly vulnerable. Property damage is also possible, especially to roofs and siding," the weather service said in warning Friday. Winds will come from the west-southwest, then shift on Monday to the northwest. The high-wind warning applies to parts of 16 upstate New York counties, including those west and southwest of Monroe County, plus Livingston, Ontario, Wayne and counties northeast of there. Flooding along the eastern ends of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario is likely Sunday, with shoreline flooding possible Monday in the Oswego area. The winds could prove the strongest since the destructive windstorm of March 2017, which killed six people, derailed a train and left more than 100,000 people without power. The strongest official gust in that storm was 81 mph. But the weather service said Friday morning that the set-up of the coming windstorm is most reminiscent of one on Jan. 9, 2008. That storm spawned a gust that reached 75 mph — the third highest on record here — and wreaked havoc throughout the area. A weather service forecaster described that hurricane-force gust as "really a sudden thing, like a freight train." The gust, which came in the pre-dawn hours, was strong enough to momentarily lift an airliner off the tarmac at Greater Rochester International Airport. Tens of thousands of homes and businesses lost power in the storm. One person died in a traffic accident that police attributed to a wind-related power outage. Forecasters have been noting for days that the jet stream, the atmospheric river of air that steers weather systems across the continent, has been howling. The upper-level jet stream was measured at 225 mph over Erie County on Tuesday evening, for example. The potentially destructive winds in the region will occur when a lower-level component of the jet stream, which the weather service said will be moving about 80 mph, will dip down toward the Earth's surface on Sunday. More:What caused the great Rochester windstorm of 2017? The sun, believe it or not The resulting blow could be among the worst in recent years. The strongest gust on record here is 89 mph, recorded 21 years ago followed by the 81 mph gust on March 8, 2017. Gusts over 70 mph have been recorded here only five other times. The wind will mar what should be an otherwise decent weekend. Saturday will be sunny with a high in the mid-40s and temperatures on Sunday will reach to near 60 degrees before a powerful cold front brings much colder air and the strong winds. The storm will put a capper on what has been an unusually gusty February. Through Tuesday, wind gusts over 40 mph had been measured in Rochester four times, and the wind was blowing strong again Thurday morning. The average wind speed through Tuesday, 11.8 miles per hour, was about 14 percent higher than the average speed in recent Februaries. Parties ranging from the weather service to Rochester Gas and Electric to Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo offered ways to prepare for the windstorm: Ensure you have batteries for flashlights and matches for candles Bring in or secure garbage and recycling containers, grills, lawn furniture, toys, snow shovels or any other loose object outside your home Keep mobile devices charged so they have plenty of life if power goes out Fill up your tank with gas If power does go out, report it to RG&E. Ensure portable generators are safely away from the home before turning them on. Check on neighbors if the outage is prolonged SORR@Gannett.com This article is provided free to all readers as a public service by the Democrat and Chronicle. Please consider supporting quality local journalism with a digital subscription. Check out our latest offer. Photos from the 2017 Rochester windstorm<doc-sep>The damaging wind storm will hit Rochester Sunday- and high wind warnings officially go into effect at 7am. Officials said they expect gusts up to 70 miles per hour- which is strong enough to rip trees right out of the ground and take down power lines. Storms like this can be unpredictable, but there are some things you can do to prepare. ACE Hardware was busy all day Saturday with people stocking up. “I think people have been keeping an eye on the storm, trying to see how bad it might get, looks like it’s gonna be a pretty high risk storm so people are definitely starting to come out get all those storm readiness supplies they might need,” said general manager Dennis McCarthy. He said the most popular items are flashlights, batteries and generators- anything that keeps light and heat going. The biggest concern in a storm like this is losing power and with the predicted temperature drops afterwards, a lack of heat could turn dangerous. There are things you can do to be ready for the possible cold. “The biggest thing would be extra layers of clothing, making sure your windows are well insolated to keep the cold out, your doors as well, that’s what you can do to just keep the cold from getting in,” McCarthy said. Power outages could last several days for some people. It could take longer to get power back, as utility crews will be stretched pretty thin.<doc-sep>The majority of flights at the Greater Rochester International Airport have been grounded due to high winds. Twenty-eight of the 41 flights originally scheduled to arrive between noon Sunday and midnight have been canceled. Eighteen of the 29 scheduled departures from ROC in that time frame have been cancelled. A 62 mph wind gust was reported at the airport at 2:54 p.m. More:Wind gusts Sunday of 65-75 mph; forecasted timing for strongest gusts between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. More:Cancellations, closures and advisories due to high wind warning More:Cancellations, closures and advisories due to high wind warning This article is provided free to all readers as a public service by the Democrat and Chronicle. Please consider supporting quality local journalism with a digital subscription. Here's our latest offer.<doc-sep>
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A dangerous windstorm in western New York Sunday has caused travel restrictions, closures and thousands to lose power as wind gusts are blowing faster than 62 miles per hour. Here is the latest information on storm-related closures and resources available to those affected by the storm. Residents are urged to avoid unnecessary travel starting at 1 p.m. Sunday due to high winds. The latest briefing from the National Weather Service continues to forecast peak wind gusts in excess of 70 mph during the mid-afternoon. Residents should continue to heed this no unnecessary travel advisory until further notice, Cheryl Dinolfo, Monroe County executive said. “Winds this intense can cause significant damage and power outages, creating dangerous driving conditions for all motorists. Unless you must travel, please remain safe and sound at home," Dinolfo said in a statement. The advisory does not restrict travel. It is, however, a warning to motorists that hazardous driving conditions will exist throughout the afternoon. Local preparation and shelters Shelters will open as necessary in western New York. Recalling the 2017 windstorm, the shelters brought together people from all ages and backgrounds, Dinolfo said, adding that there's no stigma in going to a shelter. People make new friends and there's a camaraderie when it comes to neighbors helping neighbors out, she said. Police overtime is also anticipated, with emergency command centers set to operate if necessary. More:Wild weather weekend: Blizzard, tornadoes, floods, ferocious winds all expected Emergency Shelter will open as needed The David F. Gantt R-Center will be available as a warming center and temporary warming shelter for those impacted by the windstorm. A city spokesperson said the center will open at 9 a.m. Sunday, and remain open around the clock for as long as it is needed. "The Gantt Center is open for anyone needing shelter or assistance. Rochester is no stranger to major storms - and if and when the power does go out, the greatest resource we have is each other," Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren said Sunday. The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a high-wind warning to parts of 16 upstate New York counties; flooding along the eastern ends of lakes Erie and Ontario is likely to follow Contributing: Justin Murphy, Rochester Democratand Chronicle Follow Sean Lahman and Mary Chao on Twitter: @seanlahman, @marychaostyle