Disastrous January Weather Looms for New York State

For those of us who have been saying, "where is winter?," the answer is now.

After such an easy fall and start of winter, the new year has brought the cold and snow.

It's not too cold right now, but by the upcoming weekend and into next week, we will see the coldest weather so far this season. The past 24-48 hours of high winds is not the end, as more wind, rain and snow are about to blow through Western, Central and Upstate New York.

There's a system that will arrive by Friday night and last through the weekend. It's expected to bring rain and ice at first, with snow by Saturday and Sunday.

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Lake effect bands will set up off Lake Erie and Lake Ontario by Sunday. The expected snow totals based on the GFS model by Tuesday will be well over a foot for those off the lakes.

Even over two feet of snow is possible by the time we hit Friday, January 19th, per Direct Weather.

The cold temperatures will be a story too.

For instance, highs in Buffalo will only be around 20 degrees this Sunday and Monday, with a wind chill well below that. It's going to snow and the cold air will be brutal with the winds.

There's literally a chance of significant or measurable snow for Western and Central New York into the third week of January.

The thing to do now is plan out the next 10-14 days. Have the snow brush and shovel ready, along with layers. It's going to be a time to practice those winter driving skills for sure.

January is making up for all the lost snow in November and December.