Thursday will be the warmest day so far in 2016 for most areas as temperatures push towards 80 degrees.
High pressure will retain control over our weather for one more day. South winds on the back side of the high will combine with morning sun to help temperatures quickly rise. By the early afternoon, many areas will be well into the 70s as clouds begin to thicken from west to east.
Despite the afternoon clouds, some of the typically warmer ares of the Finger Lakes have a real shot at reaching 80 degrees today, with the rest of the region reaching the upper 70s. For the majority of the region, this will be the warmest it has been so far in 2016.
Even though the clouds will start to move in during the day today, rain is generally not expected until Friday morning, when a cold front will plow through the region. The majority of the rain on Friday will fall during the morning hours. A few embedded thunderstorms may be possible as well, especially over the eastern Finger Lakes.
Temperatures will reach the mid 60s early Friday afternoon before starting to slide backwards later in the day. It will remain cloudy into Friday evening as temperatures drop into the mid 40s. By Saturday morning, those temperatures will rise back into the low 50s, with highs Saturday near 60 degrees during the middle of the day.
Another batch of rain will cross the Finger Lakes Saturday, with showers in the morning transitioning to rain in the afternoon. The chances for a soaking rain are highest across the northern and western Finger Lakes, while more southeastern areas may escape with just some scattered showers. Continue to monitor the forecast as these trends become more clear.
As the low pressure system responsible for the rain on Saturday pulls away, strong winds will develop Saturday night and especially during the day on Sunday. Some wind gusts over 40 mph area possible.
These winds will transport very chilly air into the Finger Lakes, with highs Sunday in the 40s and wind chills only in the 30s. That is right- it may feel as much as 45 degrees colder on Sunday compared to Thursday!
Rain showers will redevelop Sunday afternoon as moisture wraps around the low pressure system and interacts with the Great Lakes. The rain showers should quickly dissipate as the sun begins to set Sunday evening.
Depending on the cloud cover Sunday night, frost may be possible Monday morning. More frost will also be possible Tuesday morning as temperatures remain cool.
