18 Dec 2021

Saturday Morning Mix Update

by | posted in: Forecast | 39
Finger lakes weather forecast update saturday december 18 2021 wintry mix
Saturday morning update on the wintry mix in the Finger Lakes.

Saturday Morning Update

Precipitation has spread across the Finger Lakes this morning with snow in the north and a mix of sleet, rain, and pockets of freezing rain to the south.

It can be hard to tell what is actually going on from the radar. Different visualizations of the radar use different methods to approximate precipitation type. The radar itself is not designed to determine precipitation type at a glance based on color-coding, though there are more advanced radar modes that can help.

As I write this currently, three different radar programs indicate it is snowing at my house in Groton, while a fourth is estimating ice. In reality, it appears to be just plain rain falling. It certainly is not snow.

Your reports on what you are seeing are vitally important so I can track what is actually going on.

The old adage of looking out your window to know what the weather is doing certainly rings true in circumstances like today. Pay attention to the current temperatures (above or below 32 degrees), what is currently falling, and how the roads seem in your area when making a determination on the safety of travel.

As a general rule of thumb, the further north, the longer the wintry mix will last. The higher in elevation, the greater the chance for some freezing rain. Once the precipitation turns from snow to sleet, and from sleet to rain, it is unlikely to regress backward in the progression. Localized variations will be highly likely.

Most of the region should be seeing plain rain by the afternoon, though a few higher elevations could hold onto some freezing rain. The precipitation is still expected to taper off this evening and turn back to some snow showers overnight, which will linger into Sunday morning with little to no accumulation for most areas.

Stay safe today and please keep me updated on the precipitation types and road conditions in your area!

More Information:

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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.

39 Responses

  1. Karen Merritt
    |

    I’m up in Ontario, NY. It’s been dry here all day but a very fine snow has begun to fall.

    • Meteorologist Drew Montreuil
      |

      Thanks, Karen. The forecast you commented on here was for Saturday, but I appreciate the report for Sunday, too. Spits of lake effect snow like today are often missed by the radar, so knowing the ground truth is just as helpful in this circumstance, too! 🙂

  2. Sandy
    |

    Light snow in Dryden near Ithaca border 8 am 12/19

  3. Marne O'Shae
    |

    Rained all day here in NorthEast Ithaca. Still raining at 8:30 pm. Felt like a little sleet at times but the roads were never impacted. We live at the top of the hill and usually it’s snowing here when it’s raining in Ithaca, but nothing but rain today.
    You were right, as usual.

  4. Amy Wolfe
    |

    Earlier I meant to say I was at 1896 feet!
    Raining g more steadily now, the most all day, but still not much at 4 pm.

  5. Michael
    |

    It’s now light rain in Phelps. The temperature is mid thirties and the snow from this morning is still on the ground under a coat of ice. The Yankees game is probably postponed…….. wait…..

  6. IthacaSouthHillCityTownCusp
    |

    Slow steady slog of rain all day so far in Ithaca on South Hill. Need an umbrella but there is no wind. Looking out the window it’s hard to see that it’s actually raining.

    • Amy Wolfe
      |

      Pretty much a non-event so far in Cohocton at 1698 ft. Overnight low 32. Current temp 36.
      Some very patchy ice early am then mostly overcast with some very light rain/drizzle. A little icy rain with pines and hemlocks looking pretty but nothing to write home about.
      More rain falling now. But not a lot.

  7. Cathy Bair
    |

    Jacksonville- (up 96, west side of Cayuga Lake, 10 miles NE of Ithaca,)
    Mix of mostly rain and some sleet. Temp 35.
    I love FLX weather. I read it and rely on it everyday.

    • Cathy Bair
      |

      … 10 miles NW of Ithaca…

    • Meteorologist Drew Montreuil
      |

      Thank you for the report and for being a loyal reader, Cathy!

  8. Tom Ithaca
    |

    Lake Ontario’s making a nice radar signature of rain to the north.

    • Tom Ithaca
      |

      it switched to showing snow..

  9. Susan Sarabasha
    |

    On Tupper Road in West Danby, Newfield at about 1500’. Raining with no snow at all and we are usually the hill with snow when others are not.

    • Meteorologist Drew Montreuil
      |

      Thanks, Susan!

      • Susan S
        |

        You’re welcome.

  10. Amy
    |

    9:50 a.m. Town of Lodi, 34°, some sleet still but more rain

    • Meteorologist Drew Montreuil
      |

      Thanks, Amy!

  11. Deborah Scharf
    |

    Light rain here on the east side of Keuka Lake @10 miles south of Penn Yan, at 9:40 AM.

    • Meteorologist Drew Montreuil
      |

      Thank you, Deborah!

  12. DEBORAH BARR STEVENS
    |

    Here on the East Lake Rd of Seneca Lake about 10 mi south of Geneva it snowed about an inch a couple of hours ago and is sticking to the trees. Most roads clear, some back roads getting snow covered. Temperature 34-35.

    • Meteorologist Drew Montreuil
      |

      Thanks for the reports, Deborah!

  13. Richard Geiger
    |

    34 degrees and light rain in Trumansburg.

    • Meteorologist Drew Montreuil
      |

      Thank you, Richard!

  14. Nancy
    |

    Snowflakes in Auburn with some white sticking to the grass

    • Meteorologist Drew Montreuil
      |

      Thanks, Nancy!

  15. Tim
    |

    Raining in Hammondsport 35 degrees

    • Meteorologist Drew Montreuil
      |

      Thank you, Tim!

  16. CW
    |

    light rain 3 miles south of Ithaca on Rt 13/34/96, 9 AM

    • Meteorologist Drew Montreuil
      |

      Thank you, CW!

  17. Fred
    |

    I enjoy reading your forecasts. Well done. 32 degrees and rain on Kimberly road in Dryden.

    • Meteorologist Drew Montreuil
      |

      Thank you for the compliment and report, Fred!

  18. Michael Nash
    |

    Hey, it’s Michael in Phelps. Currently, it’s “snowing” but the texture is gravelly, icy, wet stuff. Whatever it is, it’s sticking to branches and wires. The road looks wet but I have not been out yet. My outdoor thermometer went south so I don’t have a good reading in that but my guess is right around freezing. Hope this helps.

    • Meteorologist Drew Montreuil
      |

      Thanks for the report, Michael! Sounds like it might be doing a little bit of everything wintry at once up there!

      • Miles Gray
        |

        Currently snowing fairly steadily in waterloo, about an inch on the ground and still snowing. The roads are mostly clear though. Temperatures hovering around 32 F

  19. Pete Reade
    |

    9:05 AM. Lightly snowing in Canandaigua!

    • Meteorologist Drew Montreuil
      |

      Thanks, Pete! I appreciate the report.

  20. Cynthia
    |

    snowing lightly in Geneva. About an inch on the ground. Temp is 32-33.

    • Meteorologist Drew Montreuil
      |

      Thank you, Cynthia!