First alert weather: Another big swing in the temperature later this week

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Our snowmaking machine, better known as Lake Ontario, has been busy during the last 24 hours.

The lake effect snow has been off and on with snow totals ranging from 2 inches at Brockport to 7 inches at Webster. This very cold air mass is not finished producing the lake snow just yet. Another weak disturbance will move across the great lake for overnight, and this should bring another burst of snow later tonight and early Monday.

If you are doing any local travel, maybe going to a party for the big game, it looks mainly snow-free conditions for the early evening. Then lake snow showers return later tonight, mostly after midnight. In the most persistent lake snow showers look for 1 to 3 inches by Monday morning. The best chance for snow accumulation will be north of the Thruway and east of Rochester. It will be a frigid night with low temperatures, at least away from the lake and the city, in the single digits (lakeside and the city will stay in the low teens).

Any lingering lake snow showers will end Monday morning with maybe another inch of snow. Look for breaks of sunshine for the afternoon with the high temperature only in the middle teens. There is still the chance of some flurries and snow showers Monday night and early Tuesday morning, but again the sunshine slowly returns for Tuesday afternoon. It will not be harsh with the high temperature in the mid-20s.

As a ridge of high pressure slowly migrates off the east coast a mild, southerly wind will develop. As a result, noticeably warmer weather will push into Western New York for Wednesday and Thursday. Get set for some melting of snow and ice! Wednesday will bring more sunshine and the temperature in the upper 40s. Thursday will bring more clouds and rain by the afternoon. However, before the rain arrives, the thermometer should bring readings in the low to mid-50s. If the rain is heavy Thursday evening there will be the potential for ice jams and localized flooding on some of the area creeks and streams.

Friday will bring a return to winter with more cold, strong winds and occasional snow showers.