A Christmastime winter storm pummeled much of North America over the weekend, leaving 25 dead in the area around Eerie County, New York — which includes Buffalo — and entire communities buried under several feet of snow. In addition to snowed-in conditions in the Buffalo area, the storm was exacerbated by a larger cold weather trend, with snowfall and precipitation stretching across much of the United States and Canada.
Today (Monday) sees the country attempting to return to some semblance of business as usual. Thankfully, the holiday timing of the disastrous weather is sparing millions of people the need to commute to-and-from work in these conditions. Nonetheless, road crews are busy digging the country out of this snow.
It can all be seen on webcams, most of which had been set up prior to the storm for other purposes. Today, however, they show storm-battered communities coping with the blizzard, clearing crucial infrastructure, and cautiously getting back on the road.
Here’s a round up of winter webcams around the country:
Watch Buffalo’s snow-covered border bridge between Canada and the U.S.
This view of the Peace Bridge, which connects Fort Eerie, Ontario to Buffalo, New York, is a great example of real-time adaptation. The road is relatively clear of snow, even as the storm continues in Buffalo, and as you watch, you can see plows continue to operate throughout the day.
Watertown, New York is coming back to life amid the snow
This view of a lively downtown area in Watertown, New York, northeast of Buffalo, shows you how far the region has come in a short time. Cars are now moving freely — if cautiously — through the area even with snow piled up multiple feet on the side of the road.
Multiple live views of snowy Michigan show the state’s winter resilience
This live cam switches between several feeds all over Michigan, allowing the viewer to see pedestrians getting back to relative normalcy, as well as roadways now once again active. There are also breathtakingly scenic views of the snow covered landscape.
It’s still snowing at Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho
This normally placid view of a harbor on Lake Coeur d’Alene in northern Idaho currently (as of this writing) shows snow continuing to fall, and dark clouds continuing to pass overhead. Typically allowing a peek at conditions and activity on the lake for boaters and other vacationers, this camera instead shows the extent of the storm, which is dispersed across the entire country.
The winter views are incredible in snowy Washington state
This storm has been a tragic reminder of the devastating power of winter weather. However, this view of Leavenworth, Washington, in the Cascade Mountains, is a reminder of winter’s austere beauty. For the moment, the town’s Bavarian Village actually offers more astonishing snowy vista’s than Bavaria itself.
A note about climate change and winter storms
Importantly, intense winter freezes will still happen in a heating world. Earth is heating relentlessly, and winter is the fastest-warming season, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data compiled by Climate Central, an independent organization that researches climate change. But dynamic weather moving through our profoundly chaotic atmosphere will frequently still have opportunities to spill Arctic air into the Lower 48. (Originally published on Mashable here).
