Cold air moving over the still largely ice-free Great Lakes is kicking off a prolonged period of heavy lake-effect snow.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Cold air moving over the still largely ice-free Great Lakes is kicking off a prolonged period of heavy lake-effect snow.
The FOX Forecast Center said the multiday event is expected to last through Sunday. Areas downwind of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie in upstate New York and northwestern Pennsylvania will be most heavily impacted, as snow totals will be measured in feet.
(FOX Weather)
As arctic air begins to make its way in from Canada, much of central and western New York could see anywhere from 3 inches to 3 feet of snow.
On Thursday, the snow will move into Syracuse, New York, and areas to the north and east. Communities such as Montague, New York, on the Tug Hill Plateau east of Lake Ontario, will likely see 2-3 feet of snow by Sunday.
(FOX Weather)
Numerous areas along Lake Ontario and Lake Erie are under Winter Storm Watches or Lake-Effect Snow Warnings. The region is facing another significant snowfall after a recent reprieve from challenging winter weather.
The Lake-Effet Snow Warnings stretch from Ohio to New York and include cities like Cleveland in Ohio, Erie in Pennsylvania and Syracuse and Watertown in New York.
(FOX Weather)
Winds from this event will be more from the northwest than previous events. This will spare Buffalo and Watertown, New York, from significant snowfall accumulation. However, it puts the Syracuse area right in the crosshairs to potentially see big accumulations.
Holiday travelers in western New York are facing a challenging return trip due to severe winter weather. I-86 in Salamanca is snow-covered, and a Lake-Effect Snow Warning remains in effect until 6 p.m. Sunday.
(FOX Weather)
The snow is expected to impact lake communities in Ohio and Michigan through Sunday, as well.