A dangerous lake-effect snowstorm paralyzed parts of western and northern New York on Friday, dumping over 4 feet in some spots with more expected to fall through this weekend. The storm was blamed for the deaths of two people stricken while clearing snow. Eleven counties remained under a state of emergency Friday as an intense snow band whipped the area. The storm's severity varied widely due to the peculiarities of lake-effect storms, which are caused by frigid winds picking up moisture from warmer lakes and dumping snow in narrow bands. Residents in some parts of Buffalo spent Friday buffeted by blowing, heavy snow, punctuated by occasional claps of thunder, while just a few miles north, only a few inches fell and there were patches of blue sky. The heaviest snowfall was south of the city. The National Weather Service reported single-day totals of 3 feet in many places along the eastern end of Lake Erie, with bands of heavier precipitation bringing 66 inches in the Buffalo suburb of Orchard Park, 48 inches in Elma and more than 3 feet in Hamburg, where rescue crews were called to help a resident whose home buckled under the weight. For more on the winter weather in Western New York, click on the link in our bio. 📸: @bsxphoto, @apnews and John Normile, @gettyimages #snow #snowstorm #blizzard #newyork #buffalo #westernnewyork