It's being called a quote, war with Mother Nature, the Lee starts right now.

More than two dozen people are dead from the horrific blizzard that slammed Eerie County

New York over the holiday weekend, some dying in snowberry call cars, others in homes,

no power, conditions so bad, rescuers needed rescuing.

And the Travel Nightmare continues for thousands of Americans, so far more than 3,000 flights

have been canceled today.

The majority of those are Southwest flights, plus how a toy and a car led police to find

a kidnapped baby.

Welcome to the lead.

I'm Phil Mattingley in today for Jake Tapper, and we begin this out with the rising death

toll from the vicious winter weather across the country.

At least 49 people across nine states have died from storms, at least 27 of those deaths

are centered in Buffalo, New York, surrounding Eerie County, which were hit with a blizzard.

When so fierce, they reached hurricane strength.

Rescuers had to be sent out to help others stranded rescue crews, facing quote, some of

the worst conditions that any of us have ever seen.

In many roads around Buffalo remain impassable, driving bands, still in place in some areas

as crews try desperately to clear the streets and restore power to the thousands of homes.

We begin our coverage today with CNN's Polo Sandeball in Buffalo, as crews continue heart-breaking

work, recovering the bodies of those who didn't survive.

In Buffalo, New York, it's being called the most devastating storm ever.

We are in a war.

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