BUFFALO, NY – This week’s weather forecast starts warm with rain and then ends with arctic air and accumulating lake effect snow.

Rain will turn to snow on Wednesday as temperatures drop. Snow is expected to form Wednesday evening and continue into early Friday.

A Winter Storm Watch applies to Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties from Wednesday 4:00 p.m. to Friday 1:00 p.m. Heavy snow at times and snow accumulations of more than a foot under the more persistent lake bands.

The air is expected to be even colder than during last week’s back-to-back lake effect snow events, although shorter in duration and lasting about two days this time.

There is a weather advisory for the Southern Cities and Southern Tier for Thursday, but it may need to be extended and the area expanded to get closer to this possible lake effect snow event.

Heavy, accumulating lake effect snow is possible, particularly east of Lake Erie. However, there appears to be a temporary shift northeast of the lake.

Storm Team 2 is monitoring this closely and will provide updates as the snow event approaches.