Wednesday’s storm constituted the snowiest day of “of a nasty long winter,” The Democrat & Chronicle reported on Thursday. The snowfall, not quite a blizzard, warranted a declaration of a state of emergency by Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks at 12pm on Wednesday. The Democrat & Chronicle continued, “According to the National Weather Service in Buffalo, 15.5 inches of snow has fallen at the Greater Rochester International Airport, as of 11:20 p.m.”

Although the storm was not quite as severe as anticipated, snow covered all roads on Wednesday. Plows could barely keep up, and “winds gusted as high as 49 mph, hurling small, frozen snow pellets horizontally through the air,” severely reducing visibility, according to The Democrat & Chronicle. Brooks advised against driving on the roads unless it was strictly necessary and reported some 911 calls and accidents when she issued the initial travel advisory at 12 p.m.

The U.S. Department of Transportation reveals that excessive rain — surprisingly enough — is actually much more likely to cause accidents than snow and ice. That does not, however, mean that snow-covered roads are safe. Snow and ice makes it much more difficult for vehicles to stop. Drivers should ease on the brakes well before stop signs and traffic lights to reduce the likelihood of accidents during winter storms. If you get in an accident, consider seeing a doctor right away. Some head injuries have no external symptoms, experts warn. Disorientation and/or headaches could be symptoms of much more serious conditions.

At least 50 flights were cancelled, thanks to the inclement weather. Greyhound and Trailways bus services suspended services until Thursday morning. Regional RTS bus routes were delayed by at least 15 minutes. Even with reduced visibility and a considerable amount of snowfall, Brooks revoked the earlier blizzard warning on 11pm Wednesday.