Low Passes South
An area of low pressure will move into the Ohio Valley today and through the Mid-Atlantic tonight.
Out ahead of the low, a push of warmer air aloft is moving northeast through Pennsylvania toward the Finger Lakes region. This is triggering a narrow, broken band of precipitation.
Throughout today, this precipitation will gradually creep northeastwards through the Finger Lakes. The area of precipitation should expand some this morning, but at no point should it be precipitating over the entire region all at once.
At first, the precipitation will fall primarily as snow and will struggle to reach the ground. Gradually, rain will mix in and become the dominate precipitation type this afternoon. Some higher elevations of the Southern Tier could see a coating to an inch of snow this morning.
Temperatures will be held near 40 degrees today thanks to the thick clouds and precipitation. Winds will be very light today though as they swing from the north, to the east, and eventually southeast.
A break in the precipitation is likely this evening before more widespread light rain showers move in overnight. Some of these may linger over the eastern half of the Finger Lakes early Friday morning before moving on.
Much of Friday will be cloudy, but some sun should eventually work out late in the afternoon. Temperatures will rise into the low 50s despite a north wind.
Weekend Weather and Next Week Preview
Saturday will be a pleasant day as a narrow bubble of high pressure moves through. Sunshine will be filtered by thin clouds, but it should not be an overcast day.
Temperatures Saturday will max out in the upper 50s with a few areas even reaching 60 degrees. This is right where temperatures average for this time of the year.
Sunday will revert to cold, stormy weather. Another low pressure system will approach from the Ohio Valley before it redevelops along the East Coast.
At first, precipitation should primarily fall as rain as it overspread the region Sunday morning. As the low redevelops to the east, colder air will be pulled into the system, and rain will turn over to snow. Higher elevations will be more prone to snow Sunday afternoon and Sunday night with a few inches possible in some areas.
The path, strength, and process of redevelopment of this system all remain uncertain and will impact the rain to snow ratio in our region. At least some snow over higher elevations seems likely, though.
A few rain or snow showers may linger Monday as the system pulls away and high pressure builds in behind. Temperatures Monday will depend on how long any precipitation and the clouds linger.
Tuesday should see sunshine and temperatures pushing back into the 50s. A warmer, wet, and windy system will target the region toward the middle of next week. That system does not seem to have a significant cold push behind it.
