GREECE, N.Y. — Winter storm warnings remain in effect through Wednesday in much of upstate New York. In the Rochester area, much of the heaviest snow has fallen closer to the Lake Ontario shoreline. Throw in wind gusts of over 30 miles per hour and it makes for some poor conditions.  

Lakefront property is better enjoyed in the summer.

“I think we had 10 or 15 feet of beach in the fall,” said Darryl Camiolo. “It’s gorgeous.”

Behind Camiolo’s home, Lake Ontario is a shelf of ice. Out front, on Edgemere Drive in Greece, there is whipping wind, two-plus feet of snow — and more is on the way.

“I’ve run my snow blower more in the last two days than the last two years,” said Camiolo.

With more than a month left in winter, Rochester has already exceeded last year’s snowfall total. After several days of snow, Kathleen Roman had a big job on her hands. It started with a snow shovel.

“It’s not for everybody,” she said. “But hey, I’m enduring it and I think a lot of people are happy to get some snow this year.” 

Roman and husband David bought their lakefront home in September. It’s usually beautiful, but not always so during the winter. 

“Here on the lakefront, it’s worse than anywhere,” he said. “No doubt about it. Plus it’s 13 degrees.”

Temperatures dipped to minus double digits Fahrenheit when considering the wind chill. 

Whiteout conditions caused by snow and high winds caused police to close some roads near the lakeshore to all but local traffic.

Just as the Romans got started on their big dig-out, help arrived. A passing snow plow guy from the neighborhood offered to dig them out. A “welcome to the neighborhood” moment — and not a moment too soon.

“People are really looking out for each other,” said Kathleen Roman. “We really appreciate that. It’s just good to have that.”

On the Lake Ontario shoreline, if the summer is the draw, then winter is the test. With a foot or more in the forecast, the snow is here to stay — at least for a while.

“They say six or eight weeks,” said Camiolo. “I don't know, what did Phil the groundhog say? I don't know. Snow goes away when it goes away.”