The Finger Lakes region is bracing for a powerful round of winter weather that could bring dangerous cold, lake-effect snow, and a significant weekend storm.
On Friday’s FLX Morning, Meteorologist Kevin Williams said the first blast arrives today as Arctic air moves into the region, sending temperatures sharply downward. By the end of the day, highs are expected to fall to around four degrees, with wind chills dropping to nearly 15 degrees below zero.
Williams warned that those conditions can become dangerous for anyone spending time outdoors without proper winter clothing, including pets.
In addition to the bitter cold, lake-effect snow is expected to develop later tonight and continue into Friday. While lake-effect bands often stay north of the Thruway, Williams says snow could spread south into the Route 5 and 20 corridor, including Auburn, Seneca Falls, and surrounding communities. Several inches of light accumulation are possible in parts of Wayne, northern Cayuga, northern Seneca, and northeast Ontario counties.
The second and more significant round of weather arrives this weekend as a major storm system moves north from the southern United States. Snow is expected to begin Sunday morning and continue through Sunday night and into Monday.
Early forecasts call for widespread snowfall across the Finger Lakes, with totals in the range of 10 to 18 inches by the time the system moves out.
Residents are being urged to prepare for hazardous travel conditions and extreme cold, and to monitor forecasts as the storm system continues to develop.
A reminder that we will post any weather-related closings and cancellations we receive throughout the storm to our homepage
