COPENHAGEN, NY – A historic winter storm fueled by heavy lake snow has paralyzed parts of western and northern New York.

Copenhagen, a city near Lake Ontario, bore the brunt of the storm, recording a staggering 58.8 inches of snow over Thanksgiving weekend. Some areas, such as Barnes Corners, saw accumulations exceeding 5 feet.

Watch: Meters of snow are piling up on the Great Lakes, paralyzing travel and triggering states of emergency

Drone footage from storm chaser Aaron Rigsby shows the immense extent of snowfall in Copenhagen on Monday, showing the city buried under a thick blanket of snow.

A stunning thunderstorm display was caught on camera in nearby Watertown on Saturday. This rare meteorological phenomenon occurs when a thunderstorm develops within a band of heavy snow, causing thunder, lightning and heavy snowfall.

Paralyzing blizzard in the Great Lakes produces rare thundersnow and water spouts

Video captured by FOX Weather Exclusive storm tracker Brandon Copic on Saturday also showed the storm in action BlasdellNew York.

The region’s proximity to Lakes Erie and Ontario makes it vulnerable to heavy snow events caused by lake effects. However, a combination with thunderstorms is rare, according to the FOX Forecast Center.

The heavy band of snow off Lake Erie has caused widespread disruption, with Interstate 90 temporarily closed and numerous accidents reported.

I-90 reopens in New York after a lake-effect snowstorm dumped more than 5 feet of snow across the Great Lakes

Snowfall rates of up to 10cm per hour have also overwhelmed road crews and made travel extremely dangerous.

As snow bands move south, the FOX Forecast Center said the threat of heavy snow is now expanding to the Rochester and Syracuse areas downwind of Lake Ontario. Authorities are urging people to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.

A change in wind direction on Tuesday is expected to reduce snowfall rates ahead of the next storm system, which could revive the pattern by the end of the work week.

Original source of the article: Drone video shows the city of New York buried after thunderstorms hit the region with over 4 feet of snow