An early snowstorm dropped almost two feet of snow on western New York Thursday night, killing three people and knocking out power to thousands.

More than 350,000 people were without power at the height of the storm, which brought down tree limbs and made roads impassible around the Buffalo area. Schools and businesses were closed Friday as people were being encouraged to stay off the roads.

Three deaths are being blamed on the storm, two in traffic accidents and one by a falling tree branch. Thursday evening's and Friday morning's snowfall was the most in October for Buffalo since the early 1900s.

The weekend's temperatures are expected to be warmer and melt the snow.

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