Syracuse, New York – Drivers across central New York may see rapidly changing road conditions through the next 24 hours as mixed precipitation gives way to lake effect snow, creating slick travel during the evening and Wednesday morning commutes.
According to the National Weather Service in Binghamton, a Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until 1 a.m. Thursday for Onondaga, Madison, Northern Oneida, and Southern Oneida counties. Snow accumulations of 3 to 6 inches are expected, along with a light glaze of ice as temperatures fluctuate near freezing.
A fast-moving clipper system is producing a quick round of snow this afternoon, followed by a transition to mixed precipitation and patchy freezing drizzle early this evening as temperatures rise into the lower and mid-30s. That brief changeover may leave a thin ice coating on untreated roads, bridges, and sidewalks in Syracuse, Utica, Rome, Hamilton, and Oneida.
Colder air moves in tonight behind a cold front, setting up lake effect snow showers that are expected to deliver the bulk of the accumulation overnight and into Wednesday. Visibility may drop quickly during heavier bursts, especially north and east of Syracuse.
Motorists are urged to slow down, allow extra stopping distance, and check 511 for real-time road conditions. Snow showers may linger into Wednesday night, and additional advisories could be issued if lake effect bands become more persistent.
