26 Jan 2019

Arctic cold front brings snow squall late Sunday Morning

by | posted in: Forecast | 6
finger lakes weather forecast sunday january 27 2019 snow squall
This photo was taken during a snow squall that moved through the Finger Lakes in 2016. A similar squall is likely Sunday morning. [Photo by Meteorologist Drew Montreuil]

Snow Squall Details

A cold front will bring a brief but intense burst of snow and wind to the Finger Lakes Sunday during the later morning and midday hours.

Snow will be spread across the region out ahead of the cold front early Sunday morning.

This snow will be on and off but could have some heavier bursts of its own. Accumulations should be an inch or less before the squall moves in.

As the squall moves in, expect a rapid change in weather and road conditions. Snow Squall Warnings may be needed.

Snowfall rates over one-inch per hour will quickly coat roads. Visibilities will drop to near zero as the squall moves in. Thundersnow is not out of the question.

Temperatures will also drop from just above freezing to below freezing as the squall arrives, causing some flash freeze risk as well.

All these factors will make travel difficult to dangerous as the squall moves through. Motorists should monitor the progress of the squall and be prepared to pull into a safe place if caught on the road.

» View the Latest Interactive Local Radar

The squall should last for 30-45 minutes before coming to an abrupt end. Temperatures will continue to fall back into the 20s behind the squall.

finger lakes weather what is a snow squall warning
The National Weather Service may need to issue its newest type of alert on Sunday- a Snow Squall Warning. Should a warning be issued, avoid travel until the squall passes. Click the image to enlarge.

The squall will impact the following locations at *approximately* these times.

Rochester: 7:30 am
Dansville: 8:00 am
Canandaigua: 8:15 am
Geneva: 8:45 am
Penn Yan: 9:00 am
Bath: 9:00 am
Watkins Glen: 9:45 am
Corning: 9:45 am
Auburn: 9:30 am
Syracuse: 10:00 am
Elmira: 10:00 am
Ithaca: 10:15 am
Cortland: 11:00 am
Owego: 11:45 am

Lake effect flurries off Lake Erie will be possible in the afternoon but should not amount to much. However, wind gusts of 30-40 mph will continue through the afternoon.

Skies clear and winds drop Sunday night, leading to a cold Monday morning. Widespread single digits are likely and some sub-zero temperatures in the typically colder areas will be possible.

Temperatures will warm back into the 20s on Monday as a south wind takes over and the next storm system approaches. More on that Monday morning.

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Follow Meteorologist Drew Montreuil:
Meteorologist Drew Montreuil has been forecasting the weather in the Finger Lakes region since 2006 and has degrees in meteorology from SUNY Oswego (B.S. with Honors) and Cornell (M.S.). Drew and his wife have four young boys. When not working or playing with the boys, he is probably out for a run through the countryside.

6 Responses

  1. John Barth
    |

    thanks! 🙂

  2. Karen
    |

    Thanks so much! Will the “approximate times” be updated in the morning? (I need to make a 45 mile round trip in the midst of this, — yes, church — and hope to avoid the worst of it!)

    • Meteorologist Drew Montreuil
      |

      I’ll try to slip in an update if things change.

      • Karen
        |

        Bless you, thanks!!

  3. KAH
    |

    Wow, thank you! Will “approximate times” be updated in the morning? (I need to make a substantial round trip in the midst of this — yes, church! — and hope to avoid the worst of it.)

  4. Gail Dalmat
    |

    WOW! Well, if we have to have it, morning’s better for me tomorrow, maybe not so much for regular churchgoers, though! Thank you for this heads-up on your weekend!