Brisk and cold west to northwest winds will mean a continuation of lake effect rain and snow showers today and possibly for a good part of the weekend.
Regarding today, the combination of wrap around moisture from a departing low (formerly Hurricane Sandy) and progressively colder air moving over Lake Ontario means a continuation of lake effect rain and snow showers. As is usually the case this time of year, elevation plays a key role as to what falls over CNY. Again, higher elevations run the risk of seeing wet snow.
As the air continues to cool tonight we cannot entirely rule out a slushy coating to inch or two of snow over the higher elevations of CNY (Tug Hill, areas along and south of Rt. 20 in Cayuga, Onondaga and Madison/Cortland Counties) by Saturday morning. There may even be some wet snow flakes falling over lower elevations.
Rain and wet snow showers will fall again Saturday, the best chances for snow still over higher elevations, however, wet snow showers cannot be ruled out over lower elevations Saturday morning. With air temperatures remaining above freezing and the ground still warm, we aren’t expecting any accumulation of snow during the daylight hours.
High pressure is trying to move in for the end of the weekend but it is looking as though it will be delayed a bit. The winds aloft early Sunday are still out of the northwest so we’ll keep the threat for a few showers (rain or snow) into the forecast for the first part of the day. The return of sunshine would also be delayed.
Thanks to the aforementioned high pressure system, our early week weather looks quiet although chilly. By midweek, another storm system will be moving north along the East Coast. This system won’t be anywhere as strong as Sandy but it could bring us some rain or snow next Wednesday into Thursday.
