Two more days of mid-winter chill

Cold with Lake Snows

Lake effect snow is wobbling around the far northeastern portions of the Finger Lakes this morning while much of the remainder of the area is starting cold but sunny.

A healthy band of lake effect snow developed exactly where it was expected to during the predawn hours. Also as predicted, as of 6 am the band is undergoing some shifts and reorganizations due to subtle wind direction changes.

This has broken the band up slightly over Syracuse, but additional heavy snow is likely in the city by no later than the mid-morning hours. Heavy snow extends back to the west into northeastern Wayne County.

Squalls will continue in those areas into the afternoon with some areas seeing over six inches of snow.

For the rest of the region, there may be the occasional flurry or heavier burst, but much of the day will have a mix of sun and clouds.

Temperatures this morning are in the single digits and low teens. Afternoon highs will only reach the mid and upper teens, which is roughly 20 degrees below normal for early March. Blustery northwest winds will make it feel even colder.

Lake effect should mostly move out of the Finger Lakes tonight, targeting Oswego County instead. The band will move back south on Thursday morning, disconnecting from the lake and traveling through the eastern Finger Lakes as a mid-morning squall.

Snow showers will continue over the eastern Finger Lakes into early Thursday afternoon, after which they will move back north, for good this time.

Thursday will be cold as well with morning lows again down into the single digits for many and highs reaching the low to perhaps mid 20s. The final grasp of the cold will be on Friday morning with lows once more generally in the single digits.

Near to Above Normal Temperatures Begin Friday

Sunny skies and a south wind will give temperatures a boost on Friday. Afternoon highs should return to much more seasonable levels with highs in the mid 30s.

The sunshine should continue for Saturday as well. Winds will be light and variable. A few places across the Southern Tier could approach 40 degrees will upper and mid 30s further north.

A warm front will push through during the predawn hours on Sunday with snow, then ice, and finally rain. Snow and ice accumulations should be minimal.

Sunday afternoon may have some sunshine. If that occurs, temperatures could reach the 50s for areas along and west of I-390 with mid and upper 40s for the remainder of the Finger Lakes.

Next week will start with temperatures in the 30s as a cold front moves through, but highs could push well into the 40s again late in the week.

Looking further out, temperatures are expected to be near or above normal for most of the remainder of March.

This does not mean there will not be a few chillier days or that snow will not be possible, but these are the first steps necessary to transition from Winter to Spring, a transition that typically takes much of March and April to complete.