Blustery Friday with lake effect snow showers

Brief Snow Bursts

West-northwest winds will increase in speed today as high pressure to our southwest butts up against low pressure to our northeast.

Lake effect snow has been ongoing since last evening in the wake of the cold front that moved through on Thursday. With the west-northwest winds, most of the Finger Lakes are out of the snow, with the Lake Ontario band just north of the region and the Lake Erie band just south.

That is not to say that there are not a few stray snow showers still dotting the area. Other areas, however, will start off today with some sunshine.

The wind will reach its peak during the late morning and early afternoon hours. Wind speeds will be around 15 mph with gusts to 35 mph. The wind will gradually turn a bit more northwesterly.

This will send the Lake Ontario band south into the northeastern Finger Lakes. As the band moves south, it should break up, but a few brief bursts of snow will be possible over Wayne, Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Cortland, and Tompkins counties.

These brief bursts may reduce visibility and result in a quick coating to inch of snow. Road conditions should remain wet with temperatures well above freezing. The midday and early afternoon are the most likely time for these heavier snow showers.

High temperatures today will range from the mid and upper 30s in higher elevations to the low 40s near the lakes and between Elmira and Binghamton.

Weekend Weather & Thanksgiving Week

High pressure will nose in by this evening, disrupting and eventually ending any lingering lake effect. Skies should become clear for a few hours before new clouds move in from the west in the pre-dawn hours.

With the clearing skies, it will be a cool night. Mid 20s will be widespread across the Southern Tier with lows closer to 30 degrees near the lakes and to the north. These temperatures are very close to the seasonal averages for this time of the year.

Clouds will continue to move in Saturday morning. A little sunshine may filter through some of the clouds early on, but much of the day will just be gray. Wind will be from the south, building up to around 10 mph in the afternoon with a few gusts over 20 mph.

It will be a dry day despite the clouds, with no rain expected during the daytime or nighttime hours. Temperatures will be a few degrees warmer than today with highs in the mid and low 40s. The clouds and south winds will hold nighttime temperatures in the mid and upper 30s.

Sunday will continue the cloudy pattern, but some rain showers will be added in during the mid and late afternoon hours. Any rain that falls should remain light.

South winds will be a touch stronger, with frequent gusts to around 25 mph. This will help temperatures rise, with low 50s across the northern half of the region with upper 40s to the south.

Rain will continue on and off through Sunday night before tapering off Monday morning. Much of Monday may end up dry, though some lake effect off Lake Erie will be possible in western areas.

On Tuesday, the lake effect will pivot to the south, sending snow showers off Lake Ontario into the northeastern Finger Lakes. Mainly minor accumulations are expected, though temperatures will be cold so it will be easier for the snow to accumulate.

Temperatures on Monday will be in the mid 40s early but will spend most of the day in the mid and upper 30s. Tuesday will be even colder, with highs mostly in the low 30s.

A few flurries may linger into Wednesday morning, but most of the day looks dry. Thanksgiving, too, is looking dry, and Friday may not see rain until late in the day. Slightly warmer air will build in, with highs in the upper 30s on Wednesday and mid 40s Thursday and Friday.

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This graphic represents an average over the entire Finger Lakes region. Localized variations should be expected.