Temperatures Trending Down
An area of low pressure passed through the region last night with rain and a few rumbles of thunder.
This low is near New York City this morning and will continue to track southeast away from the region.
Moisture lingering behind the low has resulted in thick clouds widespread through the Finger Lakes with areas of locally dense fog. As usual, the fog is more common across the southern half of the region.
The fog will gradually lift this morning, but skies will remain cloudy for much of the day. If any sun works out, it will probably not be until dinnertime or later.
Nonetheless, this low will not bring much cool air in. Temperatures will only be a few degrees cooler than yesterday with highs in the upper 50s.
A new weather system will take shape across the mid-Mississippi Valley today and will race northeast into the Great Lakes tonight. Rain should break out across our region once more before the sun is up on Thursday.
This system will push a sharp cold front through the area in the late morning and midday ours. Temperatures just ahead of the front may sneak into the low 50s, only to be thrown back into the 30s in short order. Some of the rain may even end as a brief burst of snow.
Winds will also greatly increase with the front, with gusts of 45-55 mph from the west-northwest during the afternoon.
Precipitation will be scarce Thursday afternoon and overnight, but a few flurries will be possible. Friday morning, moisture will rotate back into the region behind the low as an area of snow. Many places will see a light coating of white, while higher elevations could see a couple inches.
High temperatures Friday will struggle into the low 40s while northwest winds again whip with peak gusts of 50-55 mph.
Brief Bounce Back
A few flurries may linger early Saturday but should dissipate as the low pulls away. Saturday’s winds will not be as strong, either, but will still be on the blustery side with gusts around 30 mph, still coming from the northwest.
Clouds will remain thick throughout the day. With no sunshine and the steady northwest winds, temperatures will again be held in the low 40s.
Winds will turn to the south on Sunday as the next system approaches. A few scattered showers will be possible, as will a few breaks of sunshine. High temperatures will make it back into the low 50s.
Monday will be an active day as that next system moves through. Periods of rain, some heavy, are possible. A few thunderstorms cannot be ruled out, but that remains uncertain this far in advance.
Temperatures should break into the 60s, but just how warm it will get depends on how the system unfolds.
Behind that, most of next week looks cool and damp once again. Temperatures will bottom out on Thursday and Friday, with highs again struggling to get into the 40s. Snow will be possible, but it is too early to pinpoint any specific event or potential accumulations.
Below normal temperatures are expected to stick with us into the week after that as well, and the general atmospheric pattern over the continent seems unlikely to change until May.
