Good afternoon Upstate Snow Nation! The snow has melted pretty much everywhere, even across the higher elevations of the Tug Hill and the Adirondacks. With temperatures there in the 40s and 50s this afternoon and ZERO SNOW on the ground, even at the higher elevations, I don’t think this forecast lives up to a March standard. On some winters we have had FEET of snow everywhere across Upstate NY. As recently as 2022. 2019. 2015. 2011. So with this forecast, bare in mind (ha ha) we are literally starting from ZERO. And with temperatures barely getting into the 20s for a day, then rocketing back into the 40s, 50s and eventually the 60s later next week, this will be GONE. FAST.
But here it is anyway. Increasing clouds tonight. Cloudy Saturday morning with rainfall spreading quickly across the state. It’s all over the state Saturday afternoon. Come Saturday evening, with the storm to our north and west, transitioning to a Nor’easter held off to our south and east, rain changes to snow in the higher elevations of the Adirondacks first. Because this happens here first, this means towns in the Adirondacks will receive the most snowfall. Tug Hill, the Syracuse area, and locations south of Buffalo will changeover next and be in the next zone of accumulations. Then Buffalo, Rochester, Ithaca, Utica changeover and will be a lower level of accumulations. Finally the rest oc the state from Elmira and Binghamton to Albany and the Catskills should receive a little snow but not much more than a few inches.
This tapers off late Sunday into early Monday. It will remain breezy to windy during this time. And on Monday, even in the lower elevations, it is not likely to break freezing. But then, SPRING ARRIVES. AGAIN.
Tuesday is shoots up into the 40s with lower elevation locations challenging 50. On Wednesday it gets into the 50s with lower elevation locations challenging 60. On Thursday, most locations in Upstate NY will be from the mid 50s to the mid 60s. So you can figure whatever snow falls here, will melt away fast within a few days, if that. Many areas outside of the Tug Hill, Adirondacks, Syracuse and south of Buffalo will probably be out within 24-48 hours of the snow ending.
And there is the chance of yet more stuff in the long term as temperatures do come down after next week. At least supposedly. Without anything to ride on, we just sit here like April or May… in early March.
Rich Lupia
Upstate Snow
March 8, 2024
