Buffalo. N.Y. (WBEN) - As Western New York and the Buffalo-Niagara region digs out from a general snowfall across the region Thursday, forecasters are eyeing an active weather pattern than will bring a deep freeze and potential for lake effect snow to the region beginning next week.
A Winter Storm Watch has been posted for ALL of WNY Sunday evening through Wednesday.
"Most areas saw between 4 and 10 inches of snow," National Weather Service meteorologist Tony Ansuini tells WBEN. "Some of the lake effect areas to the north of the metro area and to the south of the metro area did a little bit better, generally a foot to a foot and a half in those areas."
After a brief rebound from the big chill Saturday, with high temperatures in the 30's, the deep freeze will return to the region.
"We're going to actually see this cold and snowy pattern persist for a while," Ansuini cautions. "We'll see some of the coldest air this winter season, next week."
Daytime temperatures by Tuesday will be confined to the single digits with bitter wind chills of 10 to 20 degrees below zero at times.
The bitter cold spell should last through at least the end of next week.
A weather system will lead to a light and general snowfall across the region through Saturday, with accumulations only of an inch or so across much of the area.
"It looks like the bitter cold air early next week will bring the potential for lake effect snow," Ansuini predicts. "Some of that could be fairly significant, right now that looks like it should be to the south of the metro area."
WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
* WHAT...Heavy lake effect snow possible. Potential total snow accumulation 7 inches or more in the most persistent lake snows.
Winds could gust as high as 45 mph creating blowing and drifting snow with very poor visibility.
* WHERE...Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Chautauqua, and Cattaraugus Counties.
* WHEN...From Sunday evening through Wednesday afternoon.
* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. The hazardous conditions could impact the early week morning and evening commutes. Gusty winds could down tree branches and cause isolated power outages.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Lake effect snowbands are expected to oscillate throughout this event with the greatest duration of lake snows likely from the Buffalo Metro area to Batavia southward.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Narrow bands of heavy snow could bring rapidly changing road conditions and visibilities. Localized travel problems will be possible.