Early winter blitz continues for the Finger Lakes

More Snow to Start the Week

A series of small storm systems will continue to bring light snow to the Finger Lakes followed by frigid air for Thanksgiving Day.

A stalled out frontal boundary is draped from the Ohio Valley to New England. Low pressure moving along this boundary brought snow to the Finger Lakes on Sunday with the steadiest snow falling over the southern half of the region.

Monday will be a repeat as a second low moves along the front and spread snow back into the area this afternoon. Again, areas to the south and east will have the best shot at minor accumulations.

Like Sunday, most roads will remain just wet, but secondary and rural roads, especially at higher elevations, will become a bit slick.

Snow accumulations through the overnight will be a touch higher than Sunday’s accumulations, with more 3 or 4 inch totals possible.

To the north, snow will be intermittent with little to no accumulation by Tuesday morning.

High temperatures today will be in the mid 30s across the south with upper 30s in the north. Morning lows Tuesday will near or just above 30 degrees.

A second system will move into the Great Lakes from the northwest on Tuesday. Scattered flurries and a few squalls will move through the entire Finger Lakes during the morning and first part of the afternoon.

Snow accumulations from this system will be on the order of an inch or less though some squalls may make for briefly slick travel conditions.

High temperatures Tuesday will settle in the mid 30s.

Yet another system will push into the area on Wednesday with widespread snow. Again, most of the snow will be light and insignificant, but a couple squalls could put down a slick coating. Accumulations should be around an inch.

Bitter Cold Thanksgiving

Behind this final system, an arctic high pressure system will build into the Great Lakes.

The result will be sunshine, but very cold temperatures. Morning lows Thursday will drop into the single digits for much of the region. Areas very near lake shores will remain in the teens while a few sub-zero readings will be possible over the western Southern Tier.

High temperatures on Thursday will struggle to get beyond 20 degrees, making it one of the coldest Thanksgiving days on record for the Finger Lakes.

The core of the cold will move in Thursday night. Early bird Black Friday shoppers will be greeted with sub-zero temperatures across the Southern Tier and into the eastern Finger Lakes with single digits elsewhere.

By Friday afternoon, the high will push east of the area and the warm return flow on the backside of the high will set up.

Temperatures Friday may reach 30 degrees under sunny skies, but 40s look possible for the weekend. This remains very uncertain though as another storm system comes at the area. Our temperatures this weekend will ultimately depend on the track of that system.