SYRACUSE, N.Y. – It’s beginning to feel like winter today, then it will start to look more like winter Tuesday! Central New York will have chilly temperatures Monday, then a strong weather system will bring a widespread wintry mix Tuesday. This may impact holiday travel, especially in the higher elevations where there is a better chance for snow/ice accumulation. Thanksgiving is only three days away!
Starting with our weather system setup, high pressure will be over the Northeast today bringing us sunshine after some morning lake effect clouds shed away. But a north wind will continue to pull down chilly air from Canada into Central New York.
Temperatures will start off in the mid to upper 20s Monday morning, only reaching the mid 30s in the afternoon. Keep in mind, normal high temperatures for this time of year should be in the upper 40s.
A strong weather system stretched across the middle of the country will move into Central New York midday Tuesday. A wintry mix of snow/sleet/freezing rain/plain rain will move in from the west reaching the Finger Lakes around noon-1pm, Syracuse and CNY around 1-3pm, and eastern NY around 3-4pm. The lower elevations should stay as mostly rain, but the higher elevations will see snow/sleet creating a snowy/icy layer on side streets but likely just slushy on highways.
By Tuesday late evening, temperatures will begin to rise and everyone switches over to plain rain by 9-10pm, continuing on and off overnight into Wednesday.
Showers Wednesday morning will gradually taper off midday with drier weather in the afternoon and possibly some peeks of sun.
In terms of snowfall amounts before we switch over to plain rain, only around a coating to 1 inch in the higher elevations south of Syracuse in Cortland, Madison, and Chenango counties. As much snowfall as 2-3 inches in the Tug Hill, up to 4 inches or more in the Adirondacks.
For ice accumulation, there will only be a coating in the highest elevations during the onset of this wintry mix, melting late evening when we transition to plain rain.
Nicer weather arrives on Thanksgiving! Partly sunny skies, dry weather, and milder temperatures with highs in the upper 40s.
For a look at the forecast during the days following Thanksgiving, CLICK HERE!
Here’s the latest forecast video: