First Alert Weather: An ugly Saturday, a nice (but cold) Sunday

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Saturday and Sunday will have one thing in common: The cold. Other than that, one day is clearly the better one for any outdoor weekend plans you might have, and that day is Sunday. Don’t be fooled by the milder air this morning — An incoming cold front is going to bring us wind, rain, and perhaps a little bit of a rain/snow mix as temperatures begin to plummet. Current temperatures across WNY are ranging in the mid 40s, but by this afternoon, we’ll have dropped into the 30s, and we’ll reach freezing this evening and see the low to mid 20s tonight… brrrr…

Precipitation wise, you can expect the rain to enter our area by the mid-morning and last into the afternoon, before cold air takes over and causes a few flakes to mix in. This won’t last long and it won’t accumulate however, in fact, most likely this will only be seen in the higher elevations… But the chance is still there for the Rochester metro depending on just how thick that cold column of air gets.

Winds will also be an issue. Most areas will see peak gusts of 35 MPH in the late morning to early afternoon timeslot, but some spots could get up to 40 MPH. Not enough to cause any of the kind of damage we saw last Sunday with that storm that rolled through, but certainly enough to be a nuisance.

Saturday night will see some clearing alongside lake effect clouds, with the breeze slowly dying down after midnight but temperatures staying brutal in the low 20s.

Sunday will be the MUCH better day for outdoor activities. It’s still gonna be cold, don’t get me wrong, but we’ll see PLENTY of sun. Plus, the winds will no longer be a blowin’. Temperatures peak in the high 30s Sunday, and the only cloud cover will occur in the morning and after nightfall ahead of a warm front. That front will up our temperatures a bit, but also bring us a nice swath of precipitation, both rain and snow. Not to worry however; warm temperatures at the surface will hinder any accumulation save areas southeast of Lake Ontario (which will only see a coating), and total rain will not exceed a quarter inch.

Try to get outside tomorrow and enjoy the clear weather while you can, as things are shaping up to be an unsettled week ahead. We’ve got plenty of chances of precipitation throughout the next ten days:

Stay tuned to News10 NBC for all your First Alert Weather updates, and stay dry today!