Bruce Convisor

Up to four feet of snow could blanket parts through Wednesday.

Strong winds gusting up to 45 miles per hour could create whiteout conditions.

Farther west, the Buffalo area is also bracing for heavy lake effect snow.

Some isolated spots could get up to two feet.

Snow and strong winds are also spreading from the northern plains to the upper Midwest as an Arctic cold front hits the central and eastern U.S.

over the next couple of days.

For NPR News, I'm Bruce Convisor in New York.

The minimum wage for New York City, adjacent Westchester County, and all of Long Island is now $17 an hour, a 50-cent increase.

For the rest of the state, the minimum wage remains $16 an hour, but starting in 2027, minimum wage increases statewide will be indexed to inflation.

In New Jersey, the minimum wage is already indexed to the Consumer Price Index.

The pay there has inched up more than 40 cents to $15.92 per hour.

but there is a carve-out for agricultural workers and those working in small businesses.

Their minimum will increase to just $15.23.

Connecticut's minimum wage is increasing to $16.94.

Their minimum is also indexed to data from the U.S.

Department of Labor.

For NPR News, I'm Bruce Convisor in New York.

Lake effect snows are common for communities south and east of the Great Lakes, Ontario, and Erie.

Wind-driven snows blowing into northern New York from Lake Ontario are expected to pound the region with two to four feet of snow, and forecasters add some places could receive more.

The heavy snow will be whipped up by driving winds gusting to 40 miles per hour.