High winds, snow, rain ahead in Mohawk Valley: What to expect over Christmas weekend
Utica residents should expect a few more inches of snow and a whole lot more wind heading into Christmas weekend.
The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill advisory for Oneida County, in effect from 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23 to noon Saturday, Dec. 24. Wind chills are expected to drop temperatures as low as -20 degrees. Furthermore, rain on Thursday will be followed by a sharp decline in temperature Friday, which will make for icy roads and slippery drives.
Utica is expected to see rain with some snow mixed in throughout the day Thursday. The National Weather advisory says rain and snow is likely to fall before 4 p.m., with snow taking over after 5 p.m. The chance of precipitation for the day is 80%, but total snow accumulation should be mild, with less than one inch predicted.
Later Thursday and early Friday morning, rain is expected to continue as the temperature rises to 42 degrees by 5 a.m. Wind should reach speeds of 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high 50 mph. The chance of precipitation is 100% and between a half and three quarters of an inch of snow are expected.
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What to expect Friday
The daytime forecast for Friday calls for rain until 1 p.m., which will gradually turn to snow by 3 p.m. The temperature is expected to be 43 degrees by 8 a.m. and then take a sharp dip, falling to 18 degrees by 5 p.m. The afternoon will be windy, with a southeast wind of 15 to 20 mph, and gusts as high as 33 mph.
Utica residents can expect about an inch of new snow by nightfall Friday. As the rain freezes, wind blows, and snow falls, residents should exercise extreme caution on the roads.
Snow is not expected to stop then, however, with snow showers likely until 1 a.m., Saturday The wind is expected to continue at an average speed of 18 to 20 mph, gusting as high as 33 mph. The chance of precipitation overall will be slightly lower throughout the night at 60%, with new snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
What to expect Saturday
On Saturday, the chance of precipitation will continue to drop, but the cold temperatures and wind are expected to continue. The forecast calls for a cloudy sky, with a high temperature of 18 degrees. Winds on average are expected to be around 21 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. There will be a 40% chance of snow, both during the day and throughout Saturday night.
On Christmas Day, the chance of precipitation will drop to 30%, with a daily high temp of 23 degrees. This 30% chance of snow will carry on throughout Sunday night and into Monday morning.
This article originally appeared on Times Telegram: Utica NY weather forecast: Holiday storm brings rain, snow, wind
