What meteorologist Josh Nichols is forecasting to be a “messy storm system” for the Rochester region will dump some of the first measurable snow for many people locally by later on Thursday.
There is a Winter Weather Advisory from the National Weather Service for Monroe and most other area counties through Thursday night.
Nichols is expecting a mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain to develop during the day, accumulating about 2 to 4 inches in many areas, with larger accumulations in the higher elevations.
Temperatures on Thursday will be in the mid-30s.
Nichols said to look for periods of snow Thursday night, and there could be another 1 to 3 inches on Friday in areas mainly south and east of Rochester.
And he said while the immediate Rochester area won’t see a lot more snow this weekend, it could be a different story for parts of Genesee and Wyoming counties, as well as areas south of Buffalo, where several inches of lake effect snow could accumulate.
Karen St. Aubin, who is director of operations for Rochester’s Department of Environmental Services, said that their crews are on their usual 24/7 winter status, and along with contractors the city hires, they are ready to tackle whatever comes up over the next couple of days.
She said the city has the needed salt and staff they need for the season. In regard to this week’s storm, St. Aubin issued a reminder to people who live on streets where there is alternate-side parking to adhere to the rules posted on the signs.
“It’s so very important,” St. Aubin said. "Just one car out of place can really challenge that whole street."
She also reminded property owners that they are responsible for clearing snow off sidewalks in front of their buildings. The city also supplements some of that work with sidewalk plows when more than 4 inches of fresh snow have fallen.
