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UPDATE: Winds Creating Chaos In North County

A tractor trailer is being towed after overturning on the Exit 58 ramp.

It appears northern Chautauqua County is receiving the biggest brunt of the high winds on Tuesday.

A tractor trailer was blocking westbound traffic between Exit 59 at Dunkirk-Fredonia and Exit 60 for Westfield-Mayville. The incident was reported around 10:42 a.m. near the Westfield exit and the Fire Department of Westfield, Chautauqua County Emergency Management Services as well as New York State Police were summoned. Due to the lane closures, numerous motorists were exiting at the Dunkirk-Fredonia exit and using Route 20 to continue to head west. There is one section between Westfield and Ripley on the Thruway that notes high winds. This accident happened to the east of that location. Wind gusts today are expected to reach 70 mph as the area is under a high-wind warning.

In addition, wires were reported down on Route 5 in Brocton while a tree hit a house on 42 Beckman Ave. in Westfield. A telephone pole also was reported down at 400 W. Main St. in Fredonia.

Another tractor-trailer rollover was reported on Routes 5 and 20 in Silver Creek as well.

As of 12:20 p.m., more than 2,200 National Grid customers are without power between Fredonia and Dunkirk. Another 600 customers are without power in Sheridan as well as about 100 near Portland. Routes 5 and 20 is slow going due to wires being down in Sheridan.

A home was hit by a tree at 42 Backman St. in Westfield.

Dunkirk and Silver Creek schools, as well as others, have begun to announce that all after-school activities are being canceled due to the deteriorating weather conditions.

Though portions of Route 5 are open and treacherous in New York state, it is not the same over the border.

Route 5 is now closed in Erie County from Nagle Road in Lawrence Park in Pennsylvania to the New York state line in North East Township due to extremely windy conditions and downed trees and power lines.

The closure is expected to remain in place until the weather conditions improve and the road is cleared.

Wires are down on Route 5 between Pecor Street and Route 380.

An overturned tractor-trailer on the state Thruway.

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