SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Cold temperatures and lake effect snow are nothing new to Central New York, and as the temperatures drop and the days become shorter, it is prime fuel for winter weather in the region, according to the National Weather Service.
Central New York could some of the first flakes of the season over the weekend. While Syracuse and the immediate suburbs will mostly see a cold rain, higher elevations and the hills to the south could see some snow. The totals will likely be low, if the snow does not melt as temperatures remain cool but still mild for this time of the year.
We are coming out of a strong El Nino, which has kept ocean surface temperatures above average in the tropical Pacific. This allows for the Pacific Jet Stream to shift farther to the south, delivering a drier and more mild winter for the Northeast. But the wild card here in Central New York is Lake Ontario, which is responsible for those random spurts of snow you might see while driving on I-690.
Water temperatures in the lake are also warmer than average, but it depends on if there is enough moisture in the air and favorable winds to create snow for our area. If temepratures stay above average, less snow is likely, according to meterologists at WSYR-TV.
This doesn’t mean that this winter will feel like the blissful days of early May, but forecasters say it will be warmer than average – similar to last winter, where we saw record-breaking temperatures and record-low snowfall amounts. It is smart, though, to stay prepared and take caution as temepratures drop.