I hope you had the chance to enjoy a short break in the bitter cold weather, because it returns Friday. Highs today made it into the 40s across the region. A strong cold front arrives tonight and this will impact our weather in more ways than one.

Snow squalls

A burst of rain and snow will take place ahead of the cold front this evening. Expect a few slushy spots to develop on roadways as the front moves through the region, along with gusty winds.

Flash freeze

Temperatures will quickly fall below freezing this evening. In addition to the cold, windy weather will arrive. The combination of cold and wind will allow for a flash freeze to take place this evening. A flash freeze happens when water and slush freezes on untreated surfaces. This happens often in the winter and early spring, but this one is expected to be widespread. Keep in mind that icy spots will still be around tomorrow morning too.

Lake effect snow

We do see lake effect snow as the cold air arrives tonight. The prevailing wind direction keeps the lions share of the bands to the south and west of Utica through Friday evening. Madison County is expected to pick up 2-4" or more of accumulation.

Widespread snow Sunday

We're tracking a storm for Sunday that is expected to swing into the northeast. At this point, the track favors several inches of snow, with the steadiest falling Sunday afternoon through Sunday night.  It's early to be more specific than that and we'll keep you posted as more reliable information becomes available.