That Mother Nature, she sure is fickle!

Those of us in Western New York woke up to the first Lake Effect Snow Warning of the season this morning.  And while many of us apparently had to remember exactly how to drive in this stuff, our first real snowfall served to remind us all just how unpredictable lake effect storms can be.

Photo courtesy wkbw.com

As I write this at 2:30 Friday afternoon, it would be easy to look out the windows of the Clement Mansion on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo, see the grass and distinct lack of white stuff on the ground, and mock the weather folks who predicted five-to-nine inches of snowfall.  At my house in the Town of Tonawanda this morning, however, we had to break out my son's boots for the walk to school for the first time this year, and I had to brush well over an inch of snow off my car before driving in to work. 

I live only a few short miles away, yet while there isn't a flake to been seen here at the office, I'm wondering if I'll have to break out the shovel when I get back home.  Of course, as any Western New Yorker could tell you, this sort of localized storm is quite common this time of year.  Think back just over a year ago--snow was bad enough to close the Thruway for over 24 hours near Cheektowaga, but areas just north of the city were barely effected.

Meteorologists will tell you it's darn near impossible to predict exactly where a lake effect storm will leave it's biggest mark.  That's why it's important to prepare ahead of time, because you never know when Mother Nature might decide to target your neighborhood.  As the winter season kicks off, make sure you follow these safety tips.  And remember, in Western New York, if you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes and it will probably change!