Showers Monday before a little snow returns

Rainy Monday

A large area of low pressure sprawled out across the Great Lakes will keep our weather unsettled as we close out 2019.

The rain today will be more on and off compared to the rain on Sunday. Bands of showers will rotate through the region, alternating with periods of quieter weather.

As a whole, though, the morning and midday hours will be rainier than the afternoon. A little sun may even poke out towards the end of the day.

A sharp temperature gradient will set up over Upstate New York today. Most of the Finger Lakes will end up within the gradient, easily staying warm enough for all rain to fall, but not getting into the warmest air.

Temperatures over Western New York will shoot into the 50s, while an ice storm unfolds to our east, especially in the Catskills. Locally though, most places will hover in the 40s with a few upper 30s in the I-81 corridor.

Additional rain showers will move in tonight, especially after midnight. These should gradually begin to mix with snow as temperatures fall into the low and mid 30s. A few patches of ice may be possible near or east of I-81.

Snow Returns…Briefly

A few flurries will be scattered about the region Tuesday morning, but with little to no accumulation. A wedge of dryer air will then pass through during the midday hours.

If a little sun works out during this time, temperatures could briefly jump into the low 40s. Otherwise, mid and upper 30s are more likely.

During the mid and late afternoon, however, an area of snow will move in from the west, partially enhanced by Lake Erie. Some of the snow may come down heavily for an hour or two, mostly between 2-6 PM. However, accumulations over an inch should be limited to higher elevations.

By the evening, snow will become more scattered. A few bursts will be possible from time to time, but these should not have a large impact on the New Year’s Eve festivities. By the time 2020 arrives, there should only be scattered, light flurries in the area with temperatures in the upper 20s to near 30 degrees.

Scattered lake effect snow showers will continue into New Year’s Day on Wednesday. Heavier lake snows will be possible across the Tug Hill, well north of our area, and close to Lake Erie to our west.

By Wednesday evening, the snow should end in the Finger Lakes. Most places will have less than an inch on the ground, with up to two or three inches in some higher elevations.

High temperatures on Wednesday will be in the low 30s. We are not done with warmer weather, though.

On Thursday, highs will jump back into the mid and upper 40s as south winds and sunshine return. Rain will move in for Friday, with showers turning to flurries over the weekend.

Cooler weather looks likely for much of next week with highs mostly in the 20s. However, even that may not be a sustained pattern change, with hints of more 30s and possibly 40s following after.