Funviralpark SYRACUSE, NY — The situation in central New York is becoming clearer as a winter storm hits the center of the country and heads east.
Heading into the Christmas weekend, the area is likely to experience heavy rains, rapidly freezing roads, high winds and dangerously low wind chills, the National Weather Service said. As many people hit the road to visit friends and family, it’s Friday that takes the brunt of the storm.
Schools in Syracuse City will be closed on Friday. Other districts follow suit (see list)
“A powerful storm system will affect the area this afternoon through Saturday morning,” said the Binghamton weather service office, which forecasts central New York. “This storm will pose multiple hazards.”
This is the weather service’s timeline of how the storm will unfold in the Syracuse area.
today: Rain and snow start to mix from around noon, so the road surface may become slippery in the morning. A warm air rush from the southeast will push temperatures up during the day, reaching nearly 50 degrees by Friday morning.
It’s been raining today and Friday morning. Syracuse is expected to get half an inch of him across, but the Mohawk Valley to the east, especially the Catskills, could get two to three inches, and the rain will be much heavier. Flood warnings have been issued for Delaware, Ossego, and Sullivan counties as deep snow can melt rapidly.
After dark, the wind picks up and stabilizes at 20-25 mph with gusts of 45-55 mph. Sporadic power outages can occur when tree branches break off and fall onto power lines.
Friday morning: Winds and temperatures peak in the morning, with the strongest gusts around 2am and temperatures rising to 40°C late in the morning. It has been raining all morning.
friday afternoonThis is when the real problems can begin. Temperatures drop rapidly as arctic air blows in. In Syracuse, the temperature can plummet from the mid-40s to below freezing in just three hours, and he can drop to the low 10s by dinnertime. The rain turns into light snow.
By Friday afternoon, lingering salt on the roads will have been washed away, and a sharp drop in temperature could lead to ice formation. When the rain turns to snow, the road becomes even more slippery. When it snows, strong winds blow and visibility is poor. Central New York is expected to get just an inch or two of snow.
School districts have already begun announcing early Friday closures to avoid bus service on icy snowy roads.
Friday night: Winds will start to pick up a little, but gusts of 35-45 mph are possible. The snow has stopped, but the temperature continues to drop, reaching around 10 degrees for him by early Saturday morning.
Christmas Eve: Little to no snow is expected, but Friday night’s snow is likely to persist due to very cold temperatures. Saturday’s high is in the mid-10s for him, and by the time Santa arrives, the wind will make it feel below freezing.
ChristmasWinds continue to ease and temperatures rise slightly from around 10s in the morning to mid-20s in the afternoon. Wind chill remains at least above zero. There is a slight chance of light snow throughout the day.
