Syracuse, NY – A Winter Storm Watch is in effect across central and northern New York beginning late Wednesday night through Saturday morning, with forecasters warning that heavy lake-effect snow and strong winds could cause dangerous travel conditions for Thanksgiving travelers.
According to the National Weather Service offices in Burlington and Binghamton, snow squalls are expected to develop off Lake Ontario late Wednesday, intensifying through Thursday and Friday. Areas most at risk include St. Lawrence, Oneida, Onondaga, and Madison counties, where 4 to 10 inches of snow may fall, with locally higher totals in persistent lake bands.
Wind gusts of 35 to 40 mph could create blowing and drifting snow, reducing visibility below a quarter mile at times. The heaviest snow bands may set up south and east of Lake Ontario, affecting Syracuse, Utica, Boonville, and Rome, as well as Star Lake and South Colton in the northern Adirondack foothills.
Forecasters caution that travel could become treacherous to life-threatening in the heaviest snow squalls, especially along I-81 and I-90. Holiday motorists are urged to delay unnecessary travel, monitor forecast updates, and carry emergency supplies in case of delays or closures.
The storm is expected to continue through Friday night, gradually tapering by early Saturday morning, but lake-effect flurries and icy roads may persist into the weekend.
