The next few days in Rochester could include some high temperatures, icy roads, some lake effect snow, and wind gusts exceeding 50 mph.
Weather in Rochester, New York: Forecast for next week
The Rochester area is expected to see a variety of weather conditions this week, starting on sunny Monday with the high approaching 50 degrees, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
John Hitchcock, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, said Tuesday and Wednesday will be unusually warm, with temperatures expected to rise to the mid-60s. He added that intermittent rain and thunderstorms are also expected throughout the day on Tuesday, and rain is likely on Wednesday.
Lake effect snow is possible in the Rochester, New York area
Late Wednesday afternoon, “a strong cold front will move in and temperatures will drop very quickly” — from the 60s to freezing within a few hours, Hitchcock said.
“The main concern will be the possibility of freezing of wet bars,” he said. This will make travel conditions difficult Wednesday evening.
The significant drop in temperature could also lead to some accumulating snow in communities near Lake Ontario, he said.
It's expected to be cold Thursday, with a high around 30 degrees, before temperatures rise again to around 50 degrees on Friday, potentially reaching the 60s by Sunday, Hitchcock said.
The normal high temperature in Rochester in the last week of February is 38 degrees, according to weather service records.
Record temperatures in Rochester, New York?
The mid-week warmth could also break several daily temperature records, Hitchcock said. Tuesday's record high is 66 degrees, set in 2000, and Wednesday's is 64 degrees, set in 2018.