Wednesday-Thursday Weather
A weak area of low pressure over the middle of the nation will drift towards the Great Lakes today, spreading more clouds towards the Finger Lakes.
Clouds across much of the region early this morning are associated with lake effect, but there are a few areas that are starting the day off with some sunshine. Thin clouds associated with the low pressure area already making their way into western Pennsylvania and New York.
As the low, thick lake clouds burn off this morning, the thinner clouds will overtake the region. Some sunlight will filter through at first, but the clouds will gradually thicken as the day goes on.
No precipitation is expected today with the low losing strength and organization. Light southeast winds will blow, increasing to around 10 mph this evening.
Temperatures will be around 40 degrees this afternoon with higher elevations in the upper 30s. Evening temperatures will drop to the low and mid 30s with a few pockets of upper 20s.
Meanwhile, a second, better organized low pressure system will eject out of Colorado and race eastward. By Thursday morning, the low will be moving into the Ohio River Valley. Warm air will start to surge north ahead of the low.
This will lead to some spits of precipitation across the Finger Lakes, possibly as early as the sunrise hours Thursday morning. A mix of precipitation types is likely with variations from location to location. As a general rule of thumb, snow is most likely east of Cayuga Lake, some sleet or freezing rain is possible throughout the Southern Tier, and the western and northern Finger Lakes have the best shot at rain.
Do not get too hung up on these labels, as there will be plenty of variation even within the three zones outlined above.
The precipitation will be light and sporadic, so travel concerns should be minimal, limited to a few localized slick spots.
Temperatures will quickly rise Thursday morning, ending the snow and icy mix and turning everything over to rain showers. Again, for most of the day, the rain will be light and sporadic, oftentimes amounting to little more than drizzle.
Southeast winds will blow at 10-15 mph with a few gusts at or just above 30 mph. Temperatures will rise to a high in the low and mid 40s.
More widespread, steadier rain is expected late Thursday afternoon and especially Thursday evening. This should continue into the overnight before tapering off as the center of low pressure moves directly over the region early Friday morning.
Nighttime temperatures should hold in the 40s with southeast winds turning to the south and decreasing in speed.
Turning Cold… Briefly
As the low continues on its way Friday morning, cooler air will start to wrap around the low and into the Finger Lakes. This process may take most of the morning and some of the afternoon, but eventually, some widespread snow should enter into the region.
A few inches of accumulation may be possible over the northern and western Finger Lakes, where the snow will be steadiest and longest lasting. There are still uncertainties about how this will play out, so stay tuned for more details.
Temperatures will drop into the 30s on Friday, then down to around 20 degrees by Saturday morning.
Snow showers will linger into Saturday morning but should eventually dissipate. Some late sunshine may even be possible. Northwest winds will be on the blustery side, with speeds of 10-15 mph and some gusts to 30 mph.
Temperatures Saturday will be cool, with highs in the mid 20s. Nighttime temperatures will then fall back into the 10s.
Average temperatures for this time of the year are highs in the 20s and lows in the 10s, so this cool down is simply a brief reset to the climatological average.
Sunday is looking to be a sunny day, pushing temperatures back above average. Highs will reach the mid 30s. Even with clear to partly cloudy skies Sunday night, temperatures will stick to the 20s.
A few more clouds are expected on Monday, but there still should be a fair amount of sunshine. Winds will turn to the south, pushing highs back into the low 40s.
The next weather system will arrive later Tuesday with rain showers. Much of the second half of next week looks unsettled, but mild, with additional chances for rain showers.
Temperatures should take a small step back next weekend and into the following week, but may still end up slightly above average.
More Information:
» Finger Lakes Weather Radar
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This graphic represents an average over the entire Finger Lakes region. Localized variations should be expected. Stay Updated With Email Alerts
