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State of emergency declared for parts of North Country, western New York

Officials in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties issued travel warnings yesterday as lake effect snow created potentially dangerous conditions.

But a few workers in Watertown were out in the storm. City bus driver Matthew Muñoz shoveled snow at the bus stop in front of the Woolworth building. He didn't seem phased.

"I think it's annoying," Muñoz said. "Typical Watertown weather. But I'm sure it'll go down, and then come back again and go down and come back again."

Adrian Carnegie was delivering beer to the Paddock Club down the street. As he loaded kegs off of his truck he shrugged off the snow.

"It's no fun, but you enjoy the nice days and you deal with the bad ones," Carnegie said.
Downtown Watertown was Carnegie's last stop of the day before he headed home to warm up.

Meanwhile, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has declared a state of emergency for counties in the North Country and western New York as lake effect snow continues to fall. Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego and surrounding counties will receive additional plows, snow blowers and salt for roads.

More than five feet of snow has fallen near Buffalo since yesterday, and could see totals near six feet by Wednesday afternoon. The state Thruway remains closed in both directions this morning from the Henrietta exit, near Rochester, all the way to the Pennsylvania border.

Cuomo deployed the National Guard to effected areas Tuesday afternoon and activated statewide Emergency Operations Centers last night. He says New Yorkers in areas with heavy snow should exercise extreme caution and stay off the roads until conditions are clearer and safer.