The National Weather Service in Buffalo,NY has issued a winter weather advisory for potentially moderate to heavy snow. here's what the NWS in Buffalo,NY has to say.

Tonight: Periods of rain before 10pm, then periods of rain and snow between 10pm and 11pm, then periods of snow after 11pm. Low around 29. Northeast wind between 6 and 10 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches possible.

Winter Weather AdvisoryURGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
313 PM EDT THU MAR 27 2008

...LATE SEASON SNOW AND MIXED PRECIPITATION TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY
MORNING...

.AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ORGANIZING OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND OHIO
VALLEY WILL MOVE EAST TO CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA BY FRIDAY MORNING THEN
OFF THE SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND COAST FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THIS SYSTEM
WILL BRING A PERIOD OF LATE SEASON SNOW AND MIXED PRECIPITATION TO
MOST OF THE REGION THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.

PRECIPITATION WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY
ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEW YORK THIS EVENING. THE HEAVIEST
PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO FALL BETWEEN ABOUT MIDNIGHT AND 6 AM
FRIDAY ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK...WITH THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION
ACROSS CENTRAL NEW YORK FALLING BETWEEN ABOUT 2 AM AND 8 AM FRIDAY.

PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO FALL AS ALL SNOW ALONG AND NORTH OF A
LINE FROM BUFFALO TO ROCHESTER TO OSWEGO. ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE
THRUWAY SOME SLEET MAY MIX IN AT TIMES...AND ACROSS THE WESTERN
SOUTHERN TIER SNOW WILL BE MIXED WITH SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN. THE
MIXED PRECIPITATION WILL HOLD DOWN SNOWFALL TOTALS NEAR THE
PENNSYLVANIA STATE LINE...BUT WILL ALSO BRING A CHANCE OF SOME MINOR
ICE ACCUMULATIONS.

NYZ001>003-010>013-085-280315-
/O.NEW.KBUF.WW.Y.0009.080328T0000Z-080328T1400Z/
NIAGARA-ORLEANS-MONROE-NORTHERN ERIE-GENESEE-WYOMING-LIVINGSTON-
SOUTHERN ERIE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...NIAGARA FALLS...MEDINA...ROCHESTER...
BUFFALO...BATAVIA...WARSAW...GENESEO...ORCHARD PARK...SPRINGVILLE
313 PM EDT THU MAR 27 2008

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO
10 AM EDT FRIDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BUFFALO HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO
10 AM EDT FRIDAY.

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE ACROSS THE NIAGARA FRONTIER
AND GENESEE VALLEY LATER THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY
FRIDAY MORNING. THE SNOW MAY BE MIXED WITH SOME SLEET AT
TIMES...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE NEW YORK STATE
THRUWAY. THE HEAVIEST SNOW IS EXPECTED TO FALL BETWEEN ABOUT
MIDNIGHT AND 6 AM FRIDAY.

TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS BY LATE FRIDAY MORNING ARE EXPECTED TO
REACH 4 TO 6 INCHES...WITH SOME LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE.
SNOWFALL AMOUNTS MAY BE REDUCED IN AREAS WHERE SLEET MIXES IN FOR AN
EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

TRAVEL WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS LATER THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY
MORNING. UNTREATED ROADS WILL BECOME SNOW COVERED AND SLUSHY LATER
TONIGHT. ROADS MAY REMAIN SLIPPERY FOR THE FRIDAY MORNING COMMUTE.
MOTORISTS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR WINTRY DRIVING CONDITIONS AND
ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION. STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER RADIO AND TV STATIONS FOR FURTHER DETAILS
OR UPDATES.

$$

During almost the entire month of February Lake Erie has been almost completely ice covered , meaning virtually no lake effect snow. But with warmer days and the high sun angle Lake Erie is now only 45 percent ice covered . Most of the ice coverage is along the south shore and the west shore near Buffalo,NY. with 55 percent of Lake Erie uncovered , this puts cities like Buffalo , Erie and Cleveland back in business for potential heavy lake effect snow. During the mid part of next week lake effect snow is possible once again . To the left is a Satellite picture of Lake Erie as of 3/22/08.

CoCoHaRS is a program by the NWS that is a group of volunteer weather spotters. Ijust wanted to let everyone know my CoCoHaRS ID is , incase you wanted to check it out. Go to www.CoCoHaRS.org and go to fine staion.

Station Name: Kenmore 2.7 E
Station number: NY-ER-6

Although Lake Erie is completely frozen over , Lake Ontario is not. With strong west/southwest winds blowing across the open waters of lake Ontario there is more lake effect snow. Places on the tug hill plateau could see upwards of 2 feet by the time this event is said and done.  Current places on the Tug hill Plateau have received 8-10 inches already .  With the lake effect not dying down until tomorrow , it looks like some New yorkers will be pulling out the snow blowers.

Once again there will be a storm system moving across the southern states right into our region. This will be a warmer storm with mostly rain when it starts on Sunday.After the storm passes a sharp cold front will pass WNY around 6 or 7 am on Monday morning with a heavy burst of snow, that could drop as much as 2-4 inches. As strong south west flow (240-250 degrees) sets up over Lake Erie  there is potential for some moderate lake effect snow.This wind direction would favor the Buffalo,NY metro area and the north towns such as Amherst,NY and Tonawanda,NY. Since Lake Erie is about 80 percent ice covered , the lake effect snow  wont be terribly heavy, but it does bear some watching.If the conditions are right there could possibly be 3-6 inches of lake effect snow. Still 3-6 inches of snow is not enough to fill up Buffalo,NY 2 foot snowfall deficit for this winter. With the cold and windy weather persisting through late next week on into next weekend , there is a chance Lake Erie may completely freeze over, meaning NO MORE lake effect snow (At least for now) off Lake Erie.Now , since Lake Ontario is sitting at 35 degrees Fahrenheit there is a greater potential for lake effect snow into areas in Jefferson and Lewis Counties. In places such as Watertown, Carthage, and Barnes Corners.Though a Southwest flow is not the best flow for major lake effect snow to develop off Lake Ontario , 6 inches or more is not out of the question. Six inches may sound like a lot , but to New Yorkers its just another day!

Once again the lake effect snow machines were cranking this past week off both Lake Erie and  Lake Ontario.Most of the heavy snow was off Lake Ontario, with up to 41 inches in Minetto,NY.Up to 6 Inches was reported off lake Erie, in Warsaw,NY.After the event was over there was a much bigger concern with a low pulling up through the Ohio Valley.This low caused places in Western New York to get up to 6 inches of snow and sleet.Places north of Lake Ontario saw anywhere from 6-12 inches of snow. With a much calmer few days ahead, it is just a matter of time before the next one comes early next week with a general snowfall and the potential for more lake effect snow!

Location:Barnes Corners,NY



Picture provided by www.northernchateau.com/

Throughout the WNY and Upstate NY region Lake Effect Snow has continued.Lake snow off Lake Erie has been generally on the light side, but off Lake Ontario there has been some heavier totals.Off Lake Erie, areas like Colden,NY and Boston,NY have received about a fluffy three to five fresh inches of snow.Off lake Ontario places like Barnes Corner,NY and Sandy Creek,NY have picked up about ten inches.A few isolated spots on the Tug Hill Plateau have received about 15-20 new inches of  fluffy snow.Lighter lake effect snow showers will continue throughout the night until morning.Westerly winds crossing directly across Lake Ontario earlier In the day were the result of this heavy lake snow.Now winds have become more northwesterly causing the lake snows to weaken.Northwesterly winds tend to brake the band of lake effect snow up to multiple bands.No doubt two to four inches of new snow is possible overnight.On Saturday there will be a general light snow as a low pressure system moves up from the Midwest and Ohio valley.Accumulation wont be heavy at all ,maybe one to three inches.After the low pressure system passes light winds from the southeast will create mostly sunny skies and no lake effect snow!(at least for a few days)

Location:Barnes Corners,NY



Picture provided by www.northernchateau.com/

Over the past few days there has been amazing lake effect snow that fell over parts of western and upstate New York.Places all over the WNY and Upstate NY region have come in with totals in the feet.Some places off Lake Erie in southern Erie county and northern Chautauqua county have received nearly 2 feet in Colden,NY and Boston,NY.Places off lake Ontario have received 3 feet or more do to the prevailing westerly winds blowing strongly directly across  lake Ontario for several hours.Places over the Tug Hill Plateau such as Redfield,NY and Sandy Creek,NY have totals nearing 4 feet!Over the next few days lighter less persistent lake effect snow bands will cross the area.This lake effect snow could result in another 8-20 inches depending on the location and the velocity of the snow bands.By the time the lake effect snow machine finally shuts off sometime Sunday some areas in WNY could have about 4 feet of snow on the ground.Some spots in the upstate region of NY could have up to 6 feet of snow on the ground, especially over the Tug Hill Plateau where the elevation tends to greater their snow totals. After this event a brief warm up is expected across the region with temperatures approaching 45 degrees briefly on Tuesday.Late Tuesday night a sharp cold front is expected to cross the area brining a more January like return to winter with the possibilities for more lake effect snow.