First Alert Weather: Harsh winter weather set to return

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — No doubt we have already had very brief episodes of cold weather this season. However, the next 48 hours will bring arctic air and, with a combination of strong winds, will push the wind chill to below zero at times. This transition to much colder weather is already beginning tonight with the passage of the first cold front. Rain showers have already changed to snow showers and the temperature will fall rapidly into the upper teens overnight. A yellow alert is now posted for Monday and Tuesday due to this return to bitter cold and occasional lake effect snow.

Monday will bring breaks of sunshine with flurries and snow showers along the south shoreline of Lake Ontario. A predominately west wind will keep most of the daylight accumulations along the Route 104 corridor. Look for a one to three-inch accumulation for lakeside communities. The high-temperature tomorrow will only reach the low 20s. Monday evening a cold front will move from north to south with bitter cold air overspreading Western New York. The temperature will fall into the single digits with wind chills heading into the subzero range. The Lake Ontario snow squalls will be pushing south with the advancement of this arctic boundary. Snowfall totals by Tuesday morning will be one to three inches for most locations, but along Route 104 snowfall will be closer to three to six inches.

There will be no relief from the bitter cold on Tuesday as the temperature will remain in the middle teens and the wind chill again near zero. It appears the lake snow showers will taper and come to end for the morning with breaks of sunshine developing for the afternoon. Any new accumulation should be just small amounts with an inch or less expected.

Finally, a break comes to Western New York on Wednesday and Thursday with a few periods of sunshine on Wednesday with just snow flurries on Thursday. You will notice a big difference in the temperature as it will not be as harsh. On both days, the mercury will moderate to between 30 and 35 degrees.