Saturday’s high winds prompt empty truck ban on Thruway, cancellations, early closures, Red Alert

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — The high winds forecasted for Saturday have prompted early closures ahead of anticipated power outages and hazardous conditions.

News10NBC’s First Alert Weather Team has issued a Red Alert.

We don’t highlight our weather with a Red Alert very often, but Saturday may be on the higher impact level regarding winds. Less powerful than our "March Windstorm" of 2017, but likely more powerful than wind events since then. Not everybody loses power, but outages are likely. pic.twitter.com/cZuKhs66RC

— news10nbc (@news10nbc) December 10, 2021

Power Outage Tips:

RG&E, NYSEG and National Grid crews are stepping up their staff to be ready for Saturday’s high winds.

Click here for outage information from RG&E, click here for outage information from NYSEG, and click here for outage information from National Grid.

They gave out some tips for preparing for a power outage:

• Always keep battery-operated flashlights and radios on hand, along with drinking water and non-perishable food in case of an outage.
• Make sure your phones, tablets and other mobile devices are fully charged.
• Keep refrigerators and freezers closed as much as possible.
• Stay at least 30 feet from downed power lines.

Safety Measures:

The New York State Thruway Authority has placed a ban on empty tractor-trailers and high-profile vehicles, and empty tandems for the New York State Thruway between Exit 42 (Geneva) and Exit 61 (Ripley to PA line) and on the Niagara Thruway (I-190). The ban takes effect at noon on Saturday and will stay in place until further notice.

Speed reductions may also be implemented if necessary.

Delays and Cancellations:

Monroe County-run Vaccine Clinics:

All Monroe County-run vaccine clinics are closing at noon. If your appointment was scheduled for noon or later, it will be postponed by one week, and will be automatically rescheduled for the same date and time on Saturday, Dec. 18. If your appointment was rescheduled, you should receive an email or text message about it. If you can’t make that appointment, call 585-753-5555 to reschedule.

Memorial AME Zion COVID-19 Testing Location:

Canceled due to inclement weather.

Roc Holiday Village:

The Roc Holiday Village in Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Park at Manhattan Square in Rochester will be closing up shop early on Saturday night because of the winds.

The event will be closing at 3 p.m. Saturday and there will be no ice skating, live music, curling or petting zoo.

"Any of the garbage, or recycling, cans, the umbrella heaters, you have port-a-potties down below, you have a menorah, overhead lights that will be swinging back-and-forth," founder Sean McCarthy said. "They are all chained in so they should be OK but, again, if you’re a pedestrian walking under lights swing back-and-forth and 60-mile an hour wind, it’s a little scary. And obviously, we have Adirondack chairs around that, if no one’s sitting in them, it’s a 60 mile an hour winds, those can fly around, different heating units, with propane in them, so tomorrow, the plan is, right about 2 to 3 p.m. batten down the hatches, Get anything that could be a projectile, indoors."

In exchange for the early end, organizers have extended the festival to go for an extra day: Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Six Flags Darien Lake:

Six Flags Darien Lake will be closed tonight because of the winds.

From the Six Flags Darien Lake twitter account:

"Weather Update: For the safety of our guests and staff Six Flags Darien Lake will be closed tonight Saturday December 11th.
Guests who planned on visiting this evening can visit on a different Magic of Lights operating day through Sunday, January 2, 2022."

Rochester Public Market:

The Rochester Public market will be closing one hour early because of the weather.

The City of Rochester Public Market posted on Facebook:

"Get your cabbage til 2:00 today (not 3:00!) Due to the anticipated wind storm later this afternoon, the Market will close at 2 today! Til then, it’s a beautiful day to shop local from hundreds of vendors.

Regular hours will resume tomorrow for the Holidays at the market event from 8am-2pm.

To refresh your memory, the market is open year-round on Tuesday & Thursday from 6am-1pm, and Saturday from 5am-3pm."