Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Buffalo, NY
Issued by NWS Buffalo, NY
029 FXUS61 KBUF 181749 AFDBUF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Buffalo NY 1249 PM EST Tue Nov 18 2025 .SYNOPSIS... A storm system will pass across Ohio and Pennsylvania tonight, with perhaps a light rain or snow shower making it across the border into the Southern Tier tonight. Otherwise dry conditions will prevail through Thursday, with temperatures moderating to near normal by Thursday. The next storm system will bring mainly plain rain Thursday night through Friday evening. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... This afternoon satellite imagery displays a shortwave trough over WI/IL, with a warm conveyor belt of moisture streaming over the Ohio Valley. An elongated surface high over the Central and Eastern Great Lakes will limit the northern extent of moisture from the Ohio Valley through tonight, and with the upstream shortwave tracking east- southeastward, precipitation chances will be low, with just a chance PoP tonight of rain or snow near the state line of the Southern Tier. Northerly flow ahead of this surface high along with cold air advection will bring lake effect clouds to the southern shoreline of Lake Ontario tomorrow before a wealth of dry air associated with the surface high brings mostly sunny skies to our region. While tomorrow evening will likely start with clear skies, mid and high level clouds will increase through the night with a subtle shortwave rippling along a now zonal flow aloft. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... Sfc high pressure exits off to our east Thursday and then out to sea Thursday night. Overall...dry weather will continue one more day (Thursday) and then the front nearing the Lower Lakes will bring increasing chances for showers Late Thursday night and Friday. Mild airmass streaming into the region will support precipitation to fall in the liquid form ahead of the cold front. The cold front sweeps through the area Friday afternoon ushering in a colder (850 T`s of -3C to -6C) but fairly dry airmass. Given that...the lack of moisture in the wake of the cold front will limit lake effect showers E-ESE of the lakes Friday night. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Subsidence and drier air associated with the sfc high building in from the west is expected to provide largely dry weather for the weekend. Low pressure moving east along the U.S./Canadian border may bring the next better chance of showers by Monday, dependent on track and timing. After that, it looks like high pressure may bring a return to dry weather to wrap up this period. && .AVIATION /18Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... For the 18Z TAFs VFR flight conditions are found, and these conditions will mainly prevail through the TAF cycle. The two exceptions are: one, a weakening storm system passing by to our south may bring MVFR ceiling heights, and stray light snow or rain to the Southern Tier (KJHW) between 02Z and 09Z. Secondly, a northerly flow of cold, but dry air aloft may generate a deck of MVFR lake effect cloud south of the Lakes tonight and into tomorrow morning. This may impact KIAG and KROC, and possibly KBUF and KJHW. Otherwise light winds with surface high pressure nearby to close out the TAF cycle. Outlook... Wednesday afternoon through Thursday...Mainly VFR. Thursday night through Friday...VFR/MVFR with rain showers likely. Saturday and Sunday...VFR/MVFR CIGS with a slight chance of a shower. && .MARINE... Exiting deep low pressure over the Canadian Maritimes, along with the approach of an elongated area of surface high pressure will bring a period of lighter winds, initially southwesterly this afternoon, then northerly tonight through Wednesday night. The next chance for small craft conditions will be Friday and into Friday night in conjunction with a cold front passage. Highest waves will be found in central and eastern waters of Lake Ontario. && .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Thomas NEAR TERM...Thomas SHORT TERM...AR LONG TERM...AR AVIATION...Thomas MARINE...Thomas