Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Lake effect snow by the foot and the bitter cold temperatures that accompanied it are all but a memory across the Buffalo-Niagara region as unseasonably warm conditions begin to overspread the area.
"A large, northward bulge in the jet stream has driven all of the Arctic air out of the country," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joe Lundberg, "There's just nothing to replace it, leading to this very warm pattern for February."
High pressure will dominate the Great Lakes and Northeast for most of the upcoming week, forecasters at the National Weather Service in Buffalo say. As a result, dry weather and above normal temperatures are expected through Thursday.
Temperatures during the period will start out around 5 degrees above normal for Tuesday and warm to around 10 degrees above normal for Wednesday. By Thursday and Friday, afternoon highs will be at least 15 degrees above normal. with many areas of WNY nearing the low 50s for the lower elevations. Rain returns for Friday.
The warming temperatures, lack of snow pack and rainfall will allow the ground to dry out significantly through the week.
Rain returns to the forecast for the area Friday.
