Buffalo digs out, faces roof collapses, flooding — PHOTOS
The town of Cowlesville, New York, about 25 miles southeast from downtown Buffalo, picked up 88 inches -- 7.3 feet -- of snow this week. (Inform/NDN)
A stretch of the New York State Thruway closed by a snowfall totaling up to 7 feet reopened Friday for the first time since hundreds of motorists were stranded Tuesday. (Inform/NDN)
Up to 8 feet of snow has fallen in upstate New York and even though the snow has stopped, the problems exist for collapsing roofs and flooding. (CBS Baltimore/NDN)
An airman with the New York Air National Guard shovels snow off the roof of the Eden Heights Assisted Living Facility in West Seneca, N.Y., Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014. A new blast of lake-effect snow pounded Buffalo for a third day, piling more misery on a city already buried by an epic, deadly snowfall that could leave some areas with nearly 8 feet of snow on the ground when it's all done. (AP Photo/New York National Guard, Maj. Mark Frank)
D.J. Schloss, left, and Doug Metz shovel off a roof on Abbey Lane in Alden, N.Y., Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014. The weight of the snow has caused problems around the area with roofs collapsing and buildings compromised. (AP Photo/Gary Wiepert)
Karen McRae clears snow from her driveway on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014, in West Seneca, N.Y. A new blast of lake-effect snow pounded Buffalo for a third day, piling more misery on a city already buried by an epic, deadly snowfall that could leave some areas with nearly 8 feet of snow on the ground when it's all done. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
Volunteer firefighters ride snowmobiles alone Clinton Street on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014, in West Seneca, N.Y. A new blast of lake-effect snow pounded Buffalo for a third day piling more misery on a city already buried by an epic, deadly snowfall that could leave some areas with nearly 8 feet of snow on the ground when it's all done. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
Dump trucks wait to unload snow at the Central Terminal that was removed from south Buffalo neighborhoods after heavy lake-effect snowstorms on Friday, Nov. 21, 2014, in Buffalo, N.Y. A snowfall that brought huge drifts and closed roads in the Buffalo area finally ended Friday, yet residents still couldn't breathe easy, as the looming threat of rain and higher temperatures through the weekend and beyond raised the possibility of floods and more roofs collapsing under the heavy loads. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
A man digs out his driveway in Depew, N.Y., Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014. The Buffalo area found itself buried under as much as 7 feet of snow by Thursday. (AP Photo/The Buffalo News, Derek Gee)
Brian Cintron walks in his snow-bound south Buffalo, N.Y., neighborhood on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014. A new blast of lake-effect snow pounded Buffalo for a third day, piling more misery on a city already buried by an epic, deadly snowfall that could leave some areas with nearly 8 feet of snow on the ground when it's all done. (AP Photo/Mike Groll, File)
Homes are covered in snow in West Seneca, N.Y., Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014. The Buffalo area found itself buried under as much as 7 feet of snow by Thursday. (AP Photo/The Buffalo News, Derek Gee)
A vehicle with a large chunk of snow on its top drives along Route 20 after digging out after a massive snow fall in Lancaster, N.Y., Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014. The Buffalo area found itself buried under as much as 7 feet of snow by Thursday. (AP Photo/Gary Wiepert)
Work crews move snow in the parking lots outside Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., Friday, Nov. 21, 2014. Snowed out in Buffalo, the Bills are heading to Detroit to play their "home" NFL football game against the New York Jets on Monday night, Nov. 24, 2014. (AP Photo/Gary Wiepert)
Heavy snow covers the street on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, in Buffalo, N.Y. The Buffalo area found itself buried under as much as 7 feet of snow by Thursday. (AP Photo/ Carolyn Thompson)
A front loader drives through a snowstorm along Union Road on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014, in West Seneca, N.Y. A new blast of lake-effect snow pounded Buffalo for a third day, piling more misery on a city already buried by an epic, deadly snowfall that could leave some areas with nearly 8 feet of snow on the ground when it's all done. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
Snow covers a street at daybreak Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014, in south Buffalo, N.Y. Buffalo-area officials are getting help from a neighboring county in their efforts to clear roads and provide emergency services during the snowstorm that has buried sections of western New York in more than 7 feet of snow. (AP Photo/Carolyn Thompson, File)
Heavy equipment moves snow at the Central Terminal that was removed from south Buffalo neighborhoods after heavy lake-effect snowstorms on Friday, Nov. 21, 2014, in Buffalo, N.Y. A snowfall that brought huge drifts and closed roads in the Buffalo area finally ended Friday, yet residents still couldn't breathe easy, as the looming threat of rain and higher temperatures through the weekend and beyond raised the possibility of floods and more roofs collapsing under the heavy loads. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
Tom Mudd clears snow from the roof of his house on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014, in Cheektowaga, N.Y. A new blast of lake-effect snow pounded Buffalo for a third day piling more misery on a city already buried by an epic, deadly snowfall that could leave some areas with nearly 8 feet of snow on the ground when it's all done. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
A firefighter from South Line lowers an elderly patient as she arrives to the Appletree Mall in Cheektowaga, N.Y., Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014. About 180 patients from the facility were moved after officials questioned sustainability of the the roof from the snowfall. Roofs began to creak and collapse under the weight of excessive snow as another storm added to epic snowfall in western New York state. (AP Photo/Gary Wiepert)
Firefighters from Cheektowaga and Depew assist a patient from from Garden Gate Health Care Facility to the Appletree Mall in Cheektowaga, N.Y., Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014. About 180 patients from the facility were moved after officials questioned sustainability of the the roof from the snowfall. Roofs began to creak and collapse under the weight of excessive snow as another storm Thursday added to epic snowfall in western New York state. (AP Photo/Gary Wiepert)
Firefighters from Cheektowaga and Depew assist an elderly patient from from Garden Gate Health Care Facility to the Appletree Mall in Cheektowaga, N.Y., Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014. About 180 patients from the facility were moved after officials questioned sustainability of the the roof from the snowfall. Roofs began to creak and collapse under the weight of excessive snow as another storm Thursday added to epic snowfall in western New York state. (AP Photo/Gary Wiepert)
Tom Kitson of Ayr, Ontario, with companions Dug and Champ, waits for a friend outside a convenient store on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014, in West Seneca, N.Y. A new blast of lake-effect snow pounded Buffalo for a third day piling more misery on a city already buried by an epic, deadly snowfall that could leave some areas with nearly 8 feet of snow on the ground when it's all done. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
A couple take their dog for a walk on the trails through the Watertown Golf Club in Watertown, N.Y., on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014. A new blast of lake-effect snow pounded Buffalo for a third day piling more misery on a city already buried by an epic, deadly snowfall that could leave some areas with nearly 8 feet of snow on the ground when it's all done. (AP Photo/The Watertown Daily Times, Amanda Morrison)
The Buffalo area began the backbreaking work of digging itself out Friday after a historic 7-foot wallop of snow and braced for possible flooding ahead of what is expected to be a much warmer weekend.
Many driving bans were still in effect but the New York Thruway was reopening for the first time since Tuesday, when hundreds of motorists were trapped. The three-day storm total is close to the nearly 8 feet the region typically gets over an entire year.
Throughout western New York, residents climbed atop their roofs to shovel them off to avert a potential collapse. And others banded together to help people dig out and deliver food to stir-crazy neighbors with dwindling supplies.
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