Highway Snowmare: Women’s B-Ball Team Trapped by Winter Storm Skypes CNN, Reveals Dire Circumstances (UPDATED: First Responders Make Contact)

UPDATE, 11/19 — 12:20 a.m. ET: According to coach Kendra Faustin's Twitter account, emergency responders have made contact and provided the team with snacks.

Thanks to these Niagara Falls citizens/first responders that brought us drinks & snacks! pic.twitter.com/3x2xiLTguh

— Corinne Jones (@NUCoachJones) November 19, 2014

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A severe winter storm that has dropped up to five feet of snow on areas of New York has left the Niagara women's basketball team stranded on a highway around Buffalo for nearly 24 hours — and they are running out of food and water.

Speaking to CNN's Don Lemon Tuesday night over Skype, head coach Kendra Faustin said the team was running very low on crucial supplies.

"We have a little bit of snack food, not very much water ... we have a couple granola bars," she said, noting later that they have been melting snow to hydrate.

Faustin said that she has not been able to establish contact with any emergency services personnel, despite the dire circumstances her team faces.

"No, that's been a little bit of our frustration," she said, responding to a question from Lemon about whether she has been in contact with authorities, "because we're not really sure."

"There's nowhere to go," she added. "There is nowhere to walk to that's close enough that would be remotely safe to get to."

[sharequote align="center"]"There's nowhere to go."[/sharequote]

Faustin stressed that visibility outside the bus is very poor.

"Really what we can see is the bus in front of us," she said. "And we know there is a car behind us ... but that's really all we can see. The visibility comes and goes. For a long time we couldn't see anything surrounding us."

The team has taken to social media to tell others of their plight posting selfies.

"This whole Twitter and media thing has kept their spirits high," she said. "It's something fun for them to do."

We have been praying each hour. It has now been 24 hours. Keep us in your prayers #NUWBBstrandedonbus pic.twitter.com/hWR2fCOkEB

— jamie (@jimmbo_10) November 19, 2014

Niagara wasn't the only team affected by the storm. Buffalo Sabres forward Patrick Kaleta was snowed in and unable to leave his home. Sabres assistant GM Mark Jakubowski and head athletic trainer Tim Macre were also snowed in and unable to attend Tuesday night's 4-1 victory over San Jose.

The storm also forced the postponement of the Canisius College women's basketball team's home game against Binghamton on Wednesday night.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Follow Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) on Twitter