A weak low pressure system passing through Canada will bring warmer air in this afternoon through Thursday, but intense cold and perhaps a significant snow are on the way.
Wednesday
What: Scattered snow showers, mainly late this afternoon
Impacts: Minimal
As warm air pushes back into the region, some snow showers are possible. Most of the activity will be this afternoon, though some flurries will be possible earlier in the day as well. Little to no snow accumulation is expected.
South winds will gradually increase, pushing temperatures into the upper half of the 20s this afternoon, then to near 30 degrees tonight.
» For more details on today’s weather, see last night’s Weather Planner blog post.
Thursday
What: A few snow showers, brief squalls
Impacts: Minimal
A cold front will pass through the region Thursday morning. Scattered snow showers and a few briefly heavier bursts are expected. These will be followed by some limited lake effect snow showers in the afternoon as temperatures start to drop.
Some of the heavier snow showers may put down a brief coating that could make travel a little slick, but only on a localized and short-lived basis.
Temperatures will hold steady around 30 degrees through the morning, then fall back into the 20s in the afternoon. Winds will be westerly at 10-15 mph.
Friday
What: Morning snow showers
Impacts: Minimal
A secondary cold front will pass through Friday morning with another band of scattered, brief snow showers. A band of snow off Lake Ontario will organize in the afternoon but remain north of the region. Some areas may see some sun poking out between clouds.
Temperatures on Friday will mainly stay in the mid and upper 10s with a gain of only a couple degrees during the daytime heating cycle. Winds will be gusty from the west, keeping wind chill values near or below zero.
Friday Night
What: Lake snows move south
Where: Northeastern half of the FLX
Impacts: Varied
Winds are expected to turn more to the northwest Friday evening, bringing the lake effect band south into the northeastern Finger Lakes. The exact location of the band is still a bit uncertain, but favors areas south and west of Syracuse and north and east of Ithaca.
Temperatures will be cold with overnight lows around 0 degrees on average. This will render road salt ineffective in melting snow, so roads may become snowy and slick Friday night. Wind chills will be well below zero.
Saturday
What: Lingering lake snows, cold
Where: Northeastern half of the FLX
Impacts: Varied
Lake effect snow may linger southeast of Lake Ontario throughout the day on Saturday. This could lead to locally moderate snow accumulations while other areas see no snow.
Temperatures will be very cold, with highs in the single digits expected. Winds will not be too strong, but it will not take much for wind chills to stay below zero throughout the day, and possibly below -10 frequently.
Sunday-Monday
What: Highly uncertain but growing snow chances
Impacts: Possibly significant
A massive winter storm (words I do not use lightly or flippantly) will impact much of the eastern half of the nation this weekend, but especially the mid-South and Mid-Atlantic region.
As the low turns northeastward near the Appalachian Mountains and then redevelops along the coast, a piece of the low may continue north into our area. This would set up a complex scenario that could bring significant snow into the region.
While models are currently trending toward a snowy situation for the Finger Lakes, this remains a highly uncertain and evolving situation. Everyone should continue to monitor the forecast closely, be wary of hype and premature snow amount predictions, and share Finger Lakes Weather as a trusted source with family, friends, and colleagues.
Next Week
Cold air will remain locked in place behind the late weekend system, whether it significantly impacts the area, only delivers a glancing blow, or misses us altogether. Daily highs in the 10s are likely with nighttime temperatures flirting with subzero territory. Areas of lake effect snow will also be possible.
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