By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – Winds with gusts of up to 60 miles per hour are expected in parts of the region Saturday.
The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for Southern Erie and Chautauqua Counties until 2 p.m. Saturday.
A wind advisory is remains posted for the rest of Western New York until 4 p.m. Saturday.
A high wind watch will then be posted for Western New York from late Saturday night into Sunday afternoon.
The New York State Thruway Authority is warning truck drivers that due to the high winds and strong gusts, empty tractor trailer rigs have been restricted between Thruway Exit 59, Dunkirk to the Pennsylvania state line.
You can read the following statements issued by the National Weather Service.
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY 1013 AM EDT SAT APR 16 2011
CHAUTAUQUA-SOUTHERN ERIE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...JAMESTOWN...ORCHARD PARK...SPRINGVILLE
...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON...
A HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON. A HIGH WIND WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
* LOCATIONS...SOUTHERN ERIE AND CHAUTAUQUA COUNTIES.
* TIMING...WARNING THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. WATCH FOR LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY WHEN STRONG WINDS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN.
* WINDS...SOUTHEAST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH TODAY. SOUTHWEST 30 TO 40 WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH SUNDAY.
* IMPACTS...STRONG WINDS MAY BRING DOWN TREES AND POWER LINES RESULTING IN POSSIBLE POWER OUTAGES. THOSE OPERATING HIGH
PROFILE VEHICLES SHOULD EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION...ESPECIALLY ON THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY FROM THE HAMBURG EXIT TO THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE LINE. *****
NIAGARA-ORLEANS-NORTHERN ERIE-GENESEE-WYOMING-CATTARAUGUS- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...NIAGARA FALLS...MEDINA...BUFFALO...BATAVIA...WARSAW...OLEAN 1013 AM EDT SAT APR 16 2011
...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON...
A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON.
* LOCATIONS...MUCH OF WESTERN NEW YORK INCLUDING THE BUFFALO AND ROCHESTER METRO AREAS.
* TIMING...ADVISORY THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. WATCH LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY WHEN STRONG WINDS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN.
* WINDS...SOUTHEAST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH TODAY. SOUTHWEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH POSSIBLE ON SUNDAY.
* IMPACTS...STRONG WINDS MAY BRING DOWN TREE LIMBS AND A FEW POWER LINES. *****
...HIGH WIND WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON...
A HIGH WIND WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
* LOCATIONS...MUCH OF WESTERN NEW YORK INCLUDING THE BUFFALO AND ROCHESTER METRO AREAS.
* TIMING...ADVISORY THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. WATCH LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY WHEN STRONG WINDS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN.
* WINDS...SOUTHEAST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH TODAY. SOUTHWEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH POSSIBLE ON SUNDAY.
* IMPACTS...STRONG WINDS MAY BRING DOWN TREE LIMBS AND A FEW POWER LINES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A HIGH WIND WATCH MEANS THAT THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR STRONG DAMAGING WINDS TO DEVELOP. THESE STRONG WINDS COULD BRING DOWN TREES AND POWER LINES AS WELL AS CAUSE PROPERTY DAMAGE. IF A HIGH WIND WARNING IS ISSUED...STAY INSIDE...AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS. BE PREPARED FOR TREES BLOCKING ROADWAYS AND POWER OUTAGES.