At a Glance

Heavy lake-effect snow led to travel slowdowns and even a few road closures Wednesday in the Buffalo area.Schools and government offices dismissed early Wednesday in and around the Buffalo area.

Heavy lake-effect snow pummeled the Buffalo area on Wednesday, overwhelming drivers as visibilities were reduced to nearly zero.

Snowfall rates up to 5 inches in a 90-minute span were reported in western New York, and travel quickly became dangerous. Officials were forced to close the Skyway, , according to the Buffalo News.

Near Cheektowaga, thundersnow was reported Wednesday afternoon, the report added.

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"A persistent band of lake-effect snow from Lake Erie and Lake Ontario continues to pummel western New York," said weather.com meteorologist . "Parts of southern Buffalo saw 5 inches of snow in 90 minutes this afternoon, and snow totals continue to climb to near a half-foot to the northeast of Buffalo."

The heavy snow led some schools and government offices to close early Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. The early dismissals occurred in districts north of Buffalo; in the city, after-school activities were canceled, the report added. Buffalo City Hall and other government offices sent employees home early, the AP also said.

Northeast of Buffalo, heavy snow also impacted travel in the Watertown area. WWNY-TV said Wednesday, one of which involved Louis Rivera, whose car went into a ditch following a spinout.

"Kinda just started stepping on the breaks, tapping it a little bit," Rivera told WWNY. "Then the white patches of ice got me and next you know I got sucked into this ditch over here, and I hit the stop sign."

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Tow trucks remove wrecked vehicles after a series of accidents on Interstate 95 in Baltimore, Md., on Saturday morning, Dec. 17, 2016, following an overnight ice storm. (Karl Merton Ferron/The Baltimore Sun via AP)