Mid-Week Weather Forecast
A sharp cold front is moving through the Finger Lakes region this morning.
Heavy snow squalls out ahead of the front are pressing south and will exit the region by the mid-morning hours. A few scattered snow showers will continue to be possible into the midday hours.
The afternoon will be mostly cloudy, though a few breaks of sun will be possible. As the clouds from the front move on, clouds ahead of the next system will build in.
That system will bring an area of widespread snow this evening with an inch or two of accumulation.
Temperatures will continue to fall this morning and should end up in the 10s for most areas. The afternoon will bring a rise of a couple degrees, but more significant warming is actually expected overnight as southerly flow becomes established.
By Wednesday morning, low and mid 30s should be widespread with scattered snow showers persisting.
Another cold front will move through during the midday or early afternoon with flurries and squalls. Southerly winds will already be blustery, but as they turn to the northwest behind the front, they will increase further.
Gusts Wednesday afternoon will be 35-45 mph, causing areas of blowing and drifting snow.
Lake effect snow will also quickly develop behind the front as temperatures slip back toward 30 degrees Wednesday afternoon. Locally heavy squalls are likely later Wednesday afternoon through the night.
The squalls may be transient, bouncing from place to place over that time period. That being said, the usual areas impacted by a northwest wind are most favored for bouts of heavy snow: Wayne, Cayuga, Onondaga, Cortland, and northern portions of Seneca and Tompkins counties.
All told, including this evening’s snow, the areas mentioned above should see widespread amounts of 3-6 inches, but locally as much as a foot. To the south, accumulations will mainly be limited to the 1-3 inches falling tonight and another inch on Wednesday.
Late Week and Weekend Weather
Lake effect will dwindle during the predawn hours Thursday and most of the day will be dry. Some sun will poke through the clouds.
It will be a cool start with lows ranging from the upper single digits to the mid 10s. However, winds will turn to the south by the afternoon, pushing temperatures to near 30 degrees.
The rising temperatures won’t stop there, though. By Friday morning, mid and even upper 30s will be possible.
Our next weather maker will move in for Friday with rain and possibly some snow. Northern areas have the best shot at seeing some wet snow, while parts of the Southern Tier may briefly reach 40 degrees.
It will be another rapid temperature change Friday night with lows plunging into the low 10s. Temperatures will only add a couple degrees on Saturday.
Saturday will have a mix of sun and clouds. A few morning lake flakes are possible but should not amount to much.
Sunday will start equally cold, but highs will jump to near 30 degrees as southerly winds blow ahead of another incoming system.
Snow is more likely than rain on Sunday, but it is still too far out to be certain. Temperatures on Sunday will peak during the nighttime hours in the mid 30s, then drop slightly for the daytime on Monday. Scattered snow showers are likely on Monday.
The weather will slow down a bit next week, with a few days of colder temperatures followed by a gradual warm up. Mainly light precipitation or dry conditions are expected after Monday’s snow until late in the week or the weekend.
More Information:
» Finger Lakes Weather Radar
» Zip Code Forecasts
» Get the FLX Weather Mobile App
This graphic represents an average over the entire Finger Lakes region. Localized variations should be expected.
Kelly Doolittle
Stunning photo Caroline Cope!!! Just had to say that!