First Alert Weather: Mild start but big changes this weekend

ROCHESTER, N.Y. Our lake breeze was a major factor in our weather on Friday, with highs in Rochester and points south soaring into the 80s, while communities north held, or dropped back into the 50s and 60s.

Some showers popping up tonight may bring a rumble of thunder, especially west, closest to the cold front overnight. Most rain should taper through the first part of Saturday, as the cold front gets hung up to our west, but rain will make a return.

The first half of Saturday should be mainly dry, so if you have outdoor plans in the morning, you should be good to go for the most part. A few isolated showers are possible. Our cold front arrives from west to east, starting late morning for our western counties, early to mid-afternoon in Rochester, and late afternoon to dinner-time in the Finger Lakes.

Temperatures ahead of the rain will be mild, with widespread 60s and 70s. Once the rain moves in, we’ll quickly drop into the 50s and eventually the 40s. Once the rain moves in, that’s it for any hope of dry weather. Most spots will pick up a half inch of rain. Some rumbles of thunder are also possible, and some heavier rain is likely with any convection.

Sunday will be much cooler, but drier. Our rain will come from diurnally driven pop-up late morning and afternoon rain showers. Temperatures will hold in the lower 50s. In fact, that will be the overall pattern for much of next week – a little cool, and a little unsettled with lots of dry time mixed with some pop-up afternoon showers.