Front today will bring cooler air, but little to no rain

finger lakes weather forecast thursday september 10 2020 cold front no rain
A cold front will usher in much cooler air for Friday, but with little to no rain today as it passes through. [Photo by Helen Heizyk]

Staying Dry

A cold front will cross the region today, resulting in a big temperature drop for Friday.

Ahead of the front, some sunshine this morning and south winds will give temperatures a quick boost. By noontime, much of the area will be back into the 80s.

By then, clouds will also be increasing as the front approaches from the northwest.

The biggest indicator of the front will be a change in the wind direction to the northwest. Cool air will lag behind the front by a few hours, so much of the afternoon will remain in the 80s.

The chance for rain with the front is minimal, but a brief few showers here and there may be possible. These will be most likely during the early and mid afternoon hours along the front.

Temperatures will start to slip late in the afternoon, falling back into the 70s. A steady drop during the nighttime hours will have temperatures mostly in the 50s by Friday morning.

Skies will remain cloudy tonight and a stray shower will remain possible, albeit unlikely. Clouds will linger into early Friday morning but should burn off quickly once the sun rises.

Friday will be sunny, a bit breezy, and much cooler. Look for highs in the mid to perhaps upper 60s.

Friday night will be chilly, with many areas dropping into the 40s. Areas near lakes will stick to the low 50s.

Saturday will also be dry, but thin clouds will filter the sunshine, especially through the afternoon. Winds will turn to the southeast ahead of our next weather system.

The southeast winds coming off higher elevations will warm the Rochester area into the low 80s, but most of the Finger Lakes will end up in the mid 70s. Higher elevations of the Southern Tier and Central New York will only see low 70s.

finger lakes weather 7-day forecast thursday september 10 2020
This graphic represents an average over the entire Finger Lakes region. Localized variations should be expected. Click to enlarge.

A Chance for Rain

Another weather system will roll in for Sunday with a better chance for rain compared to today.

The timing of the system and its associated cold front will have some impact on how much rain we see. An afternoon frontal passage would bring the best chance for rain and possibly a few thunderstorms.

Right now, this looks to be the most likely case, with rain showers increasing late in the morning and continuing through the afternoon.

Sunday will also be another windy day, especially during the morning, when gusts could approach 40 mph from the south.

Temperatures on Sunday will likely stay in the 70s with little available sunshine.

Cool, blustery northwest winds will set up behind the front and continue into Monday. Some lake effect rain showers will even be possible Monday morning.

High temperatures on Monday will be in the mid 60s, but the core of the chilly air will move in on Tuesday. Morning lows may drop below 45 degrees for a large part of the region and afternoon highs look as though they will stay below 65 degrees.

Temperatures should bounce back toward the end of next week, but the forecast remains uncertain as rain chances start to increase.

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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.