The severe conditions should serve as a warning for area residents to be properly prepared when heading outdoors over the next 24 hours. Similar precautions should be taken by animal owners. Chautauqua County animal breeder Tom Wiles of Wiles Griffons says pet owners should be careful how they let their animals wander.
"They'll go out and they'll get lost somewhere. They'll get stuck somewhere. The snow is so bad up here. You walk somewhere and two minutes later you can't tell where you walked," says Wiles.
Wiles also reminds animal owners to make sure that water dishes don't freeze and that exposure to the wind should be limited for all animals, including livestock.
Wiles says dogs should be outside for only for short periods of time. He says cats should not be allowed outside.
The breeder says livestock should be protected from the bitter wind through the use of heaters and heat lamps.