Lake-effect snow blankets Ohio, Pa., NY

Associated Press

ROCHESTER, N.Y.

Relentless lake-effect storms pounded parts of northwestern Pennsylvania, Ohio and upstate New York on Wednesday, with close to 4 feet of snow falling in the Syracuse area since the weekend and forecasters calling for more snow into Thursday.

Dozens of schools in and around Syracuse were closed as police reported numerous accidents on highways and roads. Troopers said an accident involving three tractor-trailers on the New York State Thruway just west of Syracuse closed the highway’s westbound lanes for about five hours.

The National Weather Service said Wednesday morning the most snow — 47 inches — was recorded in suburban Clay. Two other upstate locations had upward of 4 feet by Wednesday morning, the weather service said: Randolph in New York’s southwest corner and Laconia, near Lake Ontario’s eastern end.

In Hiram, Ohio, in Portage County, 17 inches had accumulated on the ground as of Wednesday morning.