Bills brace for lake-effect storm that could dump more than 2 feet of snow before game against 49ers

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — A light dusting of snow began covering the Buffalo Bills' facility on Friday as the team completed its final practice of the week inside Highmark Stadium.

With a lake-effect storm advisory already in place, this was perhaps a small glimpse of what the conditions might resemble come Sunday night, when the AFC East-leading Bills host the San Francisco 49ers. The latest forecast calls for 20 to 30 inches of snow to fall over a 12-to-16-hour period starting late Saturday afternoon.

Rookie receiver Keon Coleman shrugged by saying he was accustomed to playing in snow during his two seasons at Michigan State.

It certainly snows in landlocked East Lansing, but not to the degree of the storms that can hit the Buffalo region blowing in off nearby Lake Erie.

“This is going to be concerning for people trying to travel to the football game. We do not expect the game to be postponed or anything like that. The game will go on,” Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz said at a news conference. “Now, we’ve had games that are colder than that. Just got to dress appropriately. So people need to be prepared. It’s the first real cold of the season. We haven’t had anything like this all year.”

Plows and backhoes were already arriving at the stadium Friday, with a dump truck spreading salt on parking lots and roads in anticipation of the storm. The Bills issued a call for volunteers to sign up as prospective snow shovelers, with no indication on if or when they’ll be needed.

This is nothing new for the Buffalo region or the Bills.

In January, a lake-effect storm forced the NFL to push back the Bills' wild-card playoff home game against Pittsburgh by a day. The switch was required because the brunt of the storm lasted through the scheduled game time, and an accompanying driving ban made it impossible to clear the stadium in time for kickoff.

Two years ago, the Bills’ scheduled home game against Cleveland in November was instead played in Detroit because of a lake-effect storm.

“We’re trying to stay on top of it,” coach Sean McDermott said Friday.

“You guys know things change around here quickly with the weather coming off the lake and everything. So do the best we can,” he added, noting the uncertainty of the weather adds an extra layer of preparation.

The Bills are 9-2, their best start since 1992, and with a win would clinch their fifth straight AFC East title.

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Associated Press writer Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo contributed to this report.