Friday's weather brought not only the season's first significant snowfall but also a record accumulation for the day.
A Lake Effect Snow Warning will remain in effect into the evening hours tonight for Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties, but Aaron Reynolds, meteorologist at the National Weather Service, tells WBFO News that the rest of the area will see minimal snows today, and mild weather could be the trend for the near future.
Reynolds: "Across the rest of the region, a little bit of snow shower activity, some flurry activity maybe up to a half inch possible but very light stuff."
WBFO: "With the lake temperatures being what they are is that a concern for the near future as far as lake effect snow?"
Reynolds: "It tends to help out for lake effect snow. Temperatures are running in the upper 30's, so if we get a really cold air mass that moves over it it does tend to help out for lake effect events."
WBFO: "Now, I see on Monday temperatures are supposed to rise into the upper 30's maybe low 40's, some rain in the forecast. We've had these sort of bouncing temperatures through the course of the winter so far, is this a continuing trend do you see, or is there an extended cold spell that could descend on the area sometime in the near future?"
Reynolds: "As of right now, that seems to be the trend. You know, we get cold and then we warm right back up. As of right now, we don't see that pattern breaking anytime soon. As you said, we're going to warm up. We're going to melt some of this snow. It's going to get some rain on top of it. It doesn't look like it's going to stay cold, but for tonight we are going to be cold. Temperatures are going to get really cold. Lows are expected to be between 0 and 5 degrees."
The chilling temperatures tonight will give way to much warmer temperatures by Monday as highs could rise to near 40 degrees.
The lack of an extended cold spell continues to concern local ski areas and planners of coming winter events in the region.
