More Than 60 Dead Across Country From Blizzard

As more parts of the country begin to dig out and clean up from the massive winter storm that has hit more than 1/2 the country, authorities are coming to grips with the totality of the loss that we're feeling in our communities.

The extremely high winds, bitter temperatures, and widespread power outages hit communities in multiple states from the midwest to the eastern seaboard and have been a contributing factor in a death toll that has risen again.

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Both NPR and CNN are reporting the nationwide death toll has now surpassed 60 people across the country, with a majority of those being centered in in Buffalo and Western New York.

Deaths that have been attributed to the storm are spread across 12 different states that had been hard hit hardest by the weather. Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wisconsin all have recorded fatalities that medical officials have pointed directly to the extreme weather as its cause.

Most Deadly Storm Buffalo Has Ever Seen

It has now been confirmed that 39 people have died in Erie County due to the storm, with many of those people have frozen to death.

As first responders and other emergency personnel, like the New York National Guard, are now going door-to-door doing wellness checks and ensure that people are able to get out of their homes, or receive any emergency care. Given the magnitude of the storm, it is very well possible that there are more fatalities will be found that have been caused by the storm.

Roads In Buffalo Are Finally Open

There were several days when travel in the region was simply impossible due to the sheer number of abandoned cars on snow-clogged roads. Road crews have finally been able to open most roads in Buffalo and people are finally able to travel safely in the region. Metro Bus and Rail Service have been restored, along with the reopening of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

If the snow wasn't enough to worry about, the National Weather Service is reporting that a major warmup is expected towards the end of the week with temperatures rising into the 50s which in turn brings the risk of flooding to Western New York as the remaining snow begins to melt.