The weather will remain active, but with generally low impacts, as several small weather systems make their way through the region over the coming days.
Tuesday Morning
What: A band of quick moving snow
Impacts: Minor/Low
A band of snow along a warm front is moving through the Finger Lakes this morning. Most areas should not see the snow last more than an hour or two with accumulations under an inch. The best chance for an inch or more will be north of the Thruway, where the band is a bit thicker and longer lasting.
Some brief travel impacts will be possible, but highly traveled roads and anything with some basic treatment should be in fair to good shape.
Tuesday Late Afternoon and Early Evening
What: A band of mixed precipitation
Impacts: Minor/Low
The second batch of precipitation today remains more difficult to pin down in all aspects: timing, location, and precipitation type. This is due to marginal conditions ahead of a cold front and temperatures right on the edge of the freezing mark, both at the surface and aloft.
Rain is most likely for areas west of Seneca Lake with temperatures pushing toward the mid 30s. To the east, a mix of snow and icy precipitation is more likely. Eastern areas are also more likely to have more than a brief spit of precipitation with a chance for some brief but heavier bursts.
Travel conditions late this afternoon and early this evening are nearly impossible to predict and will likely vary widely over small distances. For many areas, travel may be just fine. But some may find slick or snowy roads and reduced visibility. My best advice at this point is to monitor the radar and thermometer later today.
Wednesday
What: Breezy with areas of lake effect snow
Impacts: Minor/Low
A spray of lake effect snow will develop south of Lake Ontario and persist for much of the day. Areas north of the Thruway and east of Seneca Lake, as well as the Bristol Hills, have the best chance at seeing a couple inches of accumulation over the course of the day.
Winds will be from the northwest with gusts around 30 mph. Localized blowing and drifting will be possible.
Despite the northwest winds, temperatures will be quite steady throughout the day around 30 degrees. That should help road crews keep the main roads in decent shape. Rural roads prone to blowing and drifting will be messier, though.
Thursday:
What: Lingering flurries early
Impacts: Minor
Lake effect snow will linger into Thursday, but will be much less widespread and weaker. The snow should become less and less as the day goes on, but a few flurries could linger into the afternoon as long as the northwesterly flow remains in place. Winds will be lighter than Wednesday and temperatures cooler. Afternoon highs will mainly be in the mid 20s.
Friday into Saturday
What: A little snow possible
Impacts: None/Minor
Another small weather system may move through the area late Friday into early Saturday. At most, a period of light snow will move in late Friday afternoon or evening with some lingering snow showers into early Saturday. Accumulations would be minimal. This system may very well miss the area completely, though.
Sunday into Monday
Some models continue to try to develop a stronger weather system during this time period. A more likely scenario is that the ingredients do not come together and separate, weaker systems pass through the eastern United States. Even if a bigger, combined system did develop, it would most likely miss or only glance by the region. There is very little, but still a greater than zero chance for significant weather.
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