Will Rochester be affected by a major storm that is expected to bring a weekend of severe weather across much of the central and eastern part of the country?
The forecast storm, which is expected to reach the Northeast this weekend, includes rain, snow, wind and a chance for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.
“From gusty winds to dangerous thunderstorms and even snow, a massive storm will impact 180 million people in the eastern half of the United States this weekend,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
In short, yes. Rochester will see some heavy rain as a result of this storm, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
The storm and its cold front will also put an abrupt end to the unusual warmth that sent temperatures soaring to near-record levels across the central United States on Wednesday and Thursday.
What does a winter storm mean for Rochester NY?
Rain is expected to fall in the Rochester area starting Saturday night, said Liz Jurkowski, a meteorologist with the weather service. She added that the rain will be heavy at times and is expected to continue throughout Sunday until it turns to snow late Sunday into Monday.
Flurries are expected early Monday — about a half-inch of snow is expected — and could make for a sloppy ride Monday morning, Yurkowski said.
Lake effect snow is also possible late Sunday or early Monday south of Buffalo and near Watertown, but that forecast could change.
The high temperature in Rochester will be unseasonably warm over the weekend before moving back into the 30s next week. The expected high for Friday, Saturday and Sunday is in the mid 50s. According to the National Weather Service, the normal high temperature in Rochester at this point in December is just over 40 degrees.
High temperatures are expected to drop about 20 degrees to the mid-30s on Monday, Yurkowski said.
How much snow will Rochester NY get?
According to Sosnowski, small-scale snow is likely Saturday near the quad-state area of Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa to central and northern Michigan. Later in the weekend, the highest chance for snow accumulation will be in parts of the Appalachians and the inland Northeast, as cold air pushes in behind a strong cold front Sunday afternoon into Sunday evening, AccuWeather Meteorologist La Troy Thornton said.
In Rochester, expect storms with about a half-inch of snow expected, Yurkowski said.
Additionally, there is a chance of lakeshore snow late Sunday or early Monday, especially in areas south of Buffalo and near Watertown.
Wind and rain for many in the eastern United States
For most of the eastern half of the country, heavy rain and strong winds will be the main storm threats.
Heavy rain, accompanied by strong winds, thunder and lightning at times, will fall on the eastern third of the country. The storm is expected to turn northward Saturday evening from northern Florida into Ohio, through western Pennsylvania and into New York on Sunday, AccuWeather said. As the cold front moves east, the National Weather Service warned that up to 3 inches of rain could fall in some areas, which could lead to flash flooding. In western New York, meteorologists warned of heavy rain on Sunday.
“Heavy rain will accompany the front corridor and could cause street and highway flooding along with reduced visibility,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Grady Gilman said. “Significant ground and air travel delays are likely with heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms in the east starting From Sunday.” Until Sunday night.”
Winds will also be a major weather story, especially on Sunday. Winds are likely to reach 60 mph along Interstate 95 on Sunday, which could lead to tree damage and scattered power outages. Winds could reach 75 mph along the coasts of Long Island and southern New England, which is at hurricane force levels.
Warm, then cold weather in parts of the United States
A southward dip in the jet stream will bring cooler air from Canada through the Plains and Midwest, causing temperatures to be 15 to 20 degrees lower than seen Thursday and Friday, AccuWeather said. Temperatures will peak in multiple cities along the I-95 corridor including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City on Sunday with highs in the 60s, which is about 15 degrees above the historical average. The decline in the jet stream will reach the east early next week, bringing temperatures to near their historical averages for December.
