Record daily snowfall was recorded on Dec. 23 in Buffalo, with 22.3 inches.

Buffalo is significantly outpacing its typical seasonal snowfall. It has recorded over 100 inches so far this season, nearly 70 inches more than the normal amount for this time of year and several inches more than what it averages the entire season.

Nearly 80 mph winds

Meteorologists were expecting wind gusts up to 70 mph during the blizzard, \"which were reached,\" Kenyon said.

A 79 mph wind gust was recorded in Lackawanna and 72 mph at the Buffalo airport on Dec. 23, according to the National Weather Service.

\"This storm was so significant because it brought those strong winds, which we don't often see with the lake-effect snow,\" Kenyon said. \"Those strong winds just produced impossible travel and drifting snow where we're getting this drift where people can't even open their front door.\"

\"PHOTO:
@therese_purcell/Twitter
PHOTO: Snowdrifts are shown during a blizzard in Buffalo, N.Y., on Dec. 24, 2022.
>

Though the region is prone to lake-effect snow, blizzard warnings are not often issued, Kenyon said. Other areas in the Great Lakes region got lake-effect snow with the storm system, but not the high winds, she said.

The combination of lake-effect snow and high winds was \"why it was so bad for us,\" Kenyon said.

Zero visibility

The high winds during the snowstorm often made for zero visibility in the lake-effect band, making travel impossible in the Buffalo metro area as many were gearing up for the holiday weekend or trying to head home from work. A travel advisory was soon upgraded to a ban on traveling the morning of Dec. 23.

Cars got stranded as roadways became impassable. The storm marked the first time in history that the Buffalo Fire Department couldn't respond to any calls, officials said.

\"PHOTO:
The Office of Governor Kathy Hochul/AFP via Getty Images
PHOTO: Vehicles are seen trapped under heavy snow in the streets of downtown Buffalo, New York, on December 26, 2022.
>

At least 39 fatalities

At least 39 people have died due to the storm in Erie County, which includes the city of Buffalo, officials said, making it the deadliest in the region since the blizzard of 1977.

Many people died after getting stranded outside or in their cars, while others were found dead in their homes amid frigid conditions, officials said.

Nearly half of those who died -- 17 -- were found outside, 11 were in a house and four in a car. Others died due to snow-clearing cardiac events, while three were the result of a delayed EMS response, officials said.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/US/buffalos-deadly-blizzard-numbers-made-storm-historic/story?id=95945684","legacySlug":"/news/story/buffalos-deadly-blizzard-numbers-made-storm-historic-95945684","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"11:02","publishDate":"12-31-2022","updatedTime":"11:06","updatedDate":"12-31-2022","socialImage":{"alt":"Vehicles are seen trapped under heavy snow in the streets of downtown Buffalo, New York, on December 26, 2022.","credit":"The Office of Governor Kathy Hochul/AFP via Getty Images","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/International/buffalo-storm-gty-jef-221228_1672260702802_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"12/31/2022 11:02:12 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":95945684,"headline":"Buffalo's deadly blizzard by the numbers","mediaAssetTitle":"BUFFALO BY THE NUMBERS","description":"At least 39 people have died due to the storm in Erie County, officials said.","duration":"0:46","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2022/12/221228_abc_social_buffalo_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132055565","131830882","130993584"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 15, 2026","headline":"American influencer found dead in Tanzania","section":"News","slug":"/video/132055565","id":"132055565","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 8, 2026","headline":"Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","section":"News","slug":"/video/131830882","id":"131830882","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"March 12, 2026","headline":"Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","section":"News","slug":"/video/130993584","id":"130993584","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Buffalo's deadly blizzard by the numbers","description":"At least 39 people have died due to the storm in Erie County, officials said.","duration":"0:46","uploadDate":"12-31-2022","publication":"12-31-2022","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2022/12/221228_abc_social_buffalo_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2022/12/221228_abc_social_buffalo_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/buffalos-deadly-blizzard-numbers-made-storm-historic-95945684"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131228784","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131178806","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131142257","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131046664","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131048076","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131033212","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"130999943","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"130971027","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Buffalo's deadly blizzard by the numbers","pubTime":"06:02","pubDate":"12-31-2022","modTime":"06:06","modDate":"12-31-2022","taxonomyTags":"none","id":95945684,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Buffalo's deadly blizzard by the numbers","mediaAssetTitle":"BUFFALO BY THE NUMBERS","videoId":95945684,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/buffalos-deadly-blizzard-numbers-made-storm-historic-95945684"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/95945684","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/95945684","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};