187 FXUS61 KBUF 050745 AFDBUFArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Buffalo NY 345 AM EDT Fri Sep 5 2025
.SYNOPSIS... Mainly dry weather returns today, although it will become quite windy, especially northeast of Lake Erie across the Niagara Frontier. A secondary cold front will cross the region tonight through Saturday with clouds and some rain, especially from the Southern Tier through the Finger Lakes to the eastern Lake Ontario region. This secondary cold front will usher in much cooler air for the weekend, along with a chance of a few lake effect rain showers east of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario on Sunday.
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.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Dry weather has returned following the passage of the cold front, with partial clearing across much of the area. The clearing skies, light winds, wet ground, and saturated low levels have allowed fog to become widespread across much of the Southern Tier. A Dense Fog Advisory has been issued for Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties through mid morning. Some patchy fog will also be found across Chautauqua County, the western Finger Lakes, and east of Lake Ontario.
A deep longwave trough will continue to take shape across the eastern half of Canada today and tonight, with the base of the trough advancing gradually southeast into the Great Lakes. Another wave of low pressure will move from near eastern Lake Superior this morning to James Bay this evening, where it will merge with existing low pressure over northwest Ontario. A trailing secondary cold front will approach today, then cross the eastern Great Lakes tonight.
Mainly dry weather will continue today. The main story will be wind, as a 50 knot low level jet ahead of the trough axis propagates into the area. The strongest low level jet segment will move up Lake Erie and cross the Niagara Frontier later today. Forecast BUFKIT soundings show steep low level lapse rates and a deeply mixed boundary layer this afternoon, that will allow for efficient downward transfer of stronger momentum from aloft. This should support several hours of 45-50 mph wind gusts across Niagara and northern Erie counties this afternoon. A Wind Advisory has been issued for these areas. Elsewhere, expect wind gusts in the 25-35 mph range later today. Winds will quickly diminish after sunset as the low level jet diminishes, and the boundary layer stabilizes with the onset of nocturnal cooling.
Tonight, the secondary cold front will move east across the area. Another shortwave and upper level jet streak will round the base of the trough and strengthen over the northeast US and southeast Canada late tonight. Forcing atop the advancing cold front will allow a baroclinic wave to develop and ripple northeast along the boundary, with associated differential temperature advection supporting thickening clouds and showers. The best chance of rain late tonight will be from the Southern Tier into the Finger Lakes and Central NY where moisture and frontogenesis maximize, with the lowest chances close to the Canadian border.
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.SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... A deep and dynamic upper level troughing pattern will continue to dominate the Northeast Saturday through Monday. The period will open Saturday with ongoing widespread showers across the interior as a wavy cold frontal boundary pushes east of the forecast area. Behind this FROPA, a cool Canadian airmass will continuously spill into the region with 850mb temps dipping as low as +1 to +3C by Monday morning. This will lead to a stretch of sfc temps more akin to early October rather than early September. Once reinforcing synoptic moisture arrives, areas east and northeast of the lakes will also contend with periodic lake effect rain showers. These will likely begin to develop Saturday night once the dry slot behind the front moves east of the lakes, and may continue well into Monday. With diurnal instability and relatively steep lapse rates, showers on Sunday may develop outside the main lake effect areas.
A progressive sfc-850mb ridge will move squarely over the eastern Great Lakes later Monday into Monday evening, then shift off to New England by early Tuesday morning. This should effectively taper off the last of the lake response while also potentially setting the stage for some frost across the interior Monday night. Still some question with how quickly the high moves east, which could moderate the airmass and lead to enough southerly flow to preclude frost though will need to continue monitoring.
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.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... A wedge of sfc high pressure and associated dry air will extend back down the spine of the Appalachians and Ohio Valley from the Canadian Maritimes through midweek. This will maintain quieter weather across the eastern Great Lakes through at least Wednesday and allow for a gentle warming trend, with temps briefly recovering back to near normal. Aloft, an initial period of quasi-zonal flow across the Northeast will give way to broad scale troughing pivoting south from Canada sometime later Wednesday into Thursday. An associated sfc low far to the north will push another cold front south into the region with temps falling back below normal. There could be some shower activity with this feature especially across the North Country though given typical long range uncertainties in track, strength and timing will stick with NBM`s mainly dry forecast.
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.AVIATION /08Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Areas of fog will continue through early to mid morning, especially across the Southern Tier where fog will be dense with LIFR conditions. Farther northeast, expect some patchy fog and local IFR from the western Finger Lakes to areas southeast and east of Lake Ontario. The fog and low stratus will burn off around mid morning.
Dry weather has returned today behind the first of two cold fronts, with VFR prevailing once the fog and low stratus dissipates. It will become quite windy today as a 50 knot low level jet propagates across the eastern Great Lakes. A deeply mixed boundary layer and steep low level lapse rates will allow for efficient transfer of stronger momentum aloft down to the surface, translating to wind gusts of 35-40+ knots northeast of Lake Erie near KIAG and KBUF. Wind gusts of 20-30 knots will be common elsewhere.
Tonight, the second cold front will move east across the eastern Great Lakes. A weak wave of low pressure will ripple northeast along the frontal boundary overnight, supporting thickening clouds and rain showers expanding in coverage. The best chance of rain will be found from the Southern Tier into the Finger Lakes to points south and east of Lake Ontario late tonight, with the lowest chance near the Canadian border. CIGS will deteriorate to MVFR within the rain, while VFR continues elsewhere.
Outlook...
Saturday...VFR/MVFR with showers likely, especially over southern and eastern portions of the area.
Sunday...VFR/MVFR with a chance of showers, especially east of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
Monday...Mainly VFR. Slight chance of showers and MVFR east of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
Tuesday...Mainly VFR.
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.MARINE... A period of strong southwest winds will develop today ahead of a secondary cold front on Lake Erie and the west end of Lake Ontario, bringing another round of solid Small Craft Advisory conditions. Winds will also become quite gusty along the Saint Lawrence River for a few hours this afternoon. The stronger winds will spread to the east end of Lake Ontario tonight.
Winds will diminish somewhat Saturday, but will still produce very choppy conditions on both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The very choppy conditions will continue Sunday, and winds may increase further to support Small Craft Advisory conditions.
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.BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...Wind Advisory from noon today to 8 PM EDT this evening for NYZ001-010. Beach Hazards Statement from 1 PM EDT this afternoon through late tonight for NYZ010-019-085. Dense Fog Advisory until 9 AM EDT this morning for NYZ019. Dense Fog Advisory until 9 AM EDT this morning for NYZ020-021. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 10 PM EDT this evening for LEZ020. Small Craft Advisory from 8 AM this morning to 4 AM EDT Saturday for LEZ040-041. Small Craft Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 10 PM EDT this evening for LOZ030. Small Craft Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 6 AM EDT Saturday for LOZ042. Small Craft Advisory from 1 AM to 10 AM EDT Saturday for LOZ043-044. Small Craft Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 10 AM EDT Saturday for LOZ045. Small Craft Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 10 PM EDT this evening for SLZ022-024.
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SYNOPSIS...Hitchcock NEAR TERM...Hitchcock SHORT TERM...PP LONG TERM...PP AVIATION...Hitchcock MARINE...Hitchcock
NWS BUF Office Area Forecast Discussion