Lake Effect Snow is coming.
The predicted storm is significant enough for the National Weather Service to issue the ominous warning that travel between 1 p.m. Sunday and 7 a.m. Monday may be impossible.
Meanwhile, the late Saturday, Sunday morning weather "watch" has been downgraded to an advisory. That's small comfort compared to the dire language of the NWS warning:
SNOW WILL DEVELOP FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE REGION LATE TONIGHT... WITH THE STEADIEST SNOWFALL EXPECTED SUNDAY MORNING INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON. THE SNOW SUNDAY AFTERNOON WILL BECOME LAKE ENHANCED AND BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS... WHICH COULD GUST WELL OVER 40 MPH. THIS WILL PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH FREQUENT WHITEOUTS. THERE COULD EVEN BE SOME MINOR WIND DAMAGE.
and
A DOUBLE BARRELED LOW STRETCHING FROM THE UPPER GREAT LAKES TO THE OHIO VALLEY SATURDAY EVENING WILL GRADUALLY WORK ACROSS OUR REGION BEGINNING AFTER 3 OR 4 AM IN THE WEST AND ABOUT DAYBREAK FOR THE EASTERN LAKE ONTARIO COUNTIES. THIS WILL RESULT IN ANOTHER ROUND OF ACCUMULATING SNOW FOR THE ENTIRE REGION WITH THE HEAVIEST AMOUNTS ACROSS THE EASTERN LAKE ONTARIO COUNTIES.
BY FAR THOUGH... THE BIGGEST IMPACT FROM THIS SYSTEM WILL BE STRONG WINDS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THIS LOW. ANY SNOW THAT DOES FALL WILL BE BLOWN AROUND WITH SIGNIFICANT DRIFTING... CAUSING FREQUENT WHITEOUTS. THE WORST AREAS WILL BE EAST OF THE LAKES WHERE LOCALIZED BLIZZARD CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED.
My hope: Things clear up enough by Monday afternoon for my wife's flight from California to safely arrive at ROC.
Be safe, stay warm and pray for the safety of those people who have no choice but to brave the elements on our behalf.
