Despite a cold start in the Finger Lakes this morning, temperatures will quickly rise as warmer air moves in from the south.
A little precipitation is showing up on the radar along the leading edge of this warmer air, but I do not think much, if any of it is reaching the ground. There will be a better chance for precipitation this afternoon and evening, and especially Saturday. More on that in a moment.
As the warmer air comes in, temperatures should rise above freezing by late this morning. By the afternoon hours, temperatures will reach the mid 30s, where they will likely stall out. Mid 30s are expected to persist overnight and into Saturday, which should keep the coming precipitation all rain for the Finger Lakes.
Just outside of the Finger Lakes, in the higher elevations of southwest New York and northwest Pennsylvania and also in the higher elevations east of I-81, enough cold air may get stuck to keep temperatures just below freezing this afternoon and evening. As precipitation moves in, some of it may be a little freezing rain with minor, but still hazardous ice accumulations. Again, this is for areas outside of the Finger Lakes and most of the precipitation within the Finger Lakes should be rain.
The rain will be most widespread and intense during the first half of Saturday. As low pressure moves from the Ohio Valley to the Mid Atlantic, temperatures will start to slip a little late in the rain event, and some areas may see a little snow to end tomorrow afternoon and evening. Only minor, if any accumulations should be expected.
