Sleet, snow, high winds expected for Twin Counties

A winter weather advisory and high-wind watch are in effect for Columbia and Greene counties overnight Saturday into Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Albany.

The advisory is in effect from 9 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday, with anticipation that falling snow, sleet or freezing rain will make travel difficult.

A wintry mix is expected to impact the region Saturday night with snow accumulations of up to 1 inch and ice accumulations up to one-tenth of an inch, according to a statement from the National Weather Service. Motorists should plan for slippery travel conditions and limited visibility with the mixed precipitation, according to a statement from the weather service.

Winds are expected to reach 20-35 mph, with wind gusts up to 60 mph. A high-wind watch is in effect from Sunday evening through Monday evening.

Look out for strong, winds that may damage large tree limbs, trees and power lines, according to the weather service. Widespread power outages are possible and the wind could hamper travel.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a statement Friday announcing a tractor-trailer ban for portions of the New York State Thruway, interstate highways in the western, central and Finger Lake regions beginning 10 a.m. Sunday in anticipation of the high winds.

Cuomo warned residents to prepare for potential power outages. Winds are expected to reach between 70 and 75 mph in the western part of the state and western portions of the North Country.

“New York is preparing to endure yet another extreme weather event that could bring strong winds, resulting in significant power outages,” Cuomo said in a statement. “I want to make it abundantly clear that utilities are expected to be prepared with response plans to deal with emergencies and quickly restore power to residents following any storm-related outages. We expect that utilities will be working aggressively and around-the-clock to fully restore power to all New Yorkers affected by this storm. The state is monitoring the situation closely and is prepared to assist localities quickly as needed.”