Quiet Saturday ahead of Super Bowl Sunday snow

Temperatures Moderate Ahead of Snow Maker

Saturday will be a tranquil day in the Finger Lakes with improving temperatures.

Southwest winds ahead of an approaching storm system will help temperatures get closer to normal Saturday after a chilly Friday.

After warming into the teens overnight, temperatures will top out in the upper 20s this afternoon.

Skies will be rather cloudy throughout the day, but no precipitation is expected outside of perhaps a stray late day flurry.

Temperatures will hold steady this evening before creeping close to 30 degrees by Sunday morning.

Some snow showers will start to work in, mostly after midnight, with just a coating of accumulation by dawn Sunday.

Super Bowl Sunday Snow

The set up for Sunday is rather complex as one system swings through the Great Lakes and another develops along the coast.

Snow showers will persist through Sunday morning and should transition to a steadier snow for the afternoon.

The snow may fall at a moderate rate at times, yet accumulations will be kept in check by a number of factors.

Firstly, temperatures will be near or above freezing, which is not favorable for significant accumulations.

Next, the strongest areas of atmospheric energy will likely skip over the Finger Lakes as the two storm systems combine.

Lastly, with south winds in place, moisture will be squeezed out of the system over the higher elevations of northern Pennsylvania. As the winds flow downslope into the Finger Lakes, the overall moisture content will be less.

As a result, the heart of the Finger Lakes region will likely only see an inch or two of snow by Monday morning.

Further east, there will be cooler air, more energy, and less of a downsloping effect. Several inches of snow will be possible, especially Sunday afternoon and evening.

On a typical Sunday, this system would not be too much of an inconvenience. However, with the Super Bowl in the evening, traffic will be heavier than normal. Give yourself extra time if you are traveling Sunday evening.

Snow will taper off Sunday evening, but a second burst of snow will be possible overnight before ending completely by Monday morning.