Light Snow Tonight

School Forecast
for Thursday December 5th
Last updated: 7:15PM Wednesday December 4, 2024

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7:00PM Wednesday Update:

Greetings from India! as mentioned earlier this week, I am currrently traveling internationally, so this will again just be a brief update focusing on tonight's light snow.


The Forecast:
As of 7PM it is currently just beginning to snow in the Mid Hudson Valley. Light, possibly intermittent, snow is likely over the next couple of hours with the steadiest snow most likely between 12AM and 5AM. Snow may linger through about 9AM Thursday. Up to about an inch of snow is likely in the Kingston area with a possible range of a dusting to 2 inches. Temperatures in the Kingston area area are currently about 32 degrees. They will likely fall to around 30 degrees overnight and rise back above freezing by 10AM Thursday.

The Impacts:
Snow tonight will stick most easily to grassy areas and cars, however, some road impacts are likely by the morning. While larger and salted roads may just be wet, roads in the hills just outside of Kingston and side roads in the immediate Kingston area will likely become slick overnight. As for schools - while tonight's snow will be light and temperatures could be more favorable, the timing of the storm is favorable for some delays across Ulster County on Thursday. School impacts are most likely in the Catskills from Tri Valley to Onteora (Onteora cancelled some after school activities today). School impacts are least likely further south toward Marlboro. Here in Kingston, a delay is not definite, but is slightly more likely than regular classes. With the potential for snow to linger through about 9AM, there is a slight chance of schools closing.

After this storm, we could see some flurries on Sunday, but impactful snow is not likely again until at least late next week. This will likely be my last update until there is decent risk of impactful snow. Be safe tomorrow!
-Ethan

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3:00AM Monday Update:

Welcome to December! I am currently traveling internationally, so this will just be a quick update. As mentioned last Thursday, we could see some snowflakes this week.


The Forecast:
Today and tomorrow will be dry but chilly with daytime temperatures reaching the upper 30s and nighttime lows falling to near 20 degrees. A weak storm will approach NY from Canada on Wednesday. This storm is likely to bring a quick round of snow showers to the Mid Hudson Valley. Snow is most likely to fall for a couple of hours between 5PM Wednesday and 5AM Thursday. There is the potential for a dusting to an inch of snow depending on how long it lasts. Temperatures will likely be near 30 degrees Wednesday night.

The Impacts:
With temperatures near 30 degrees Wednesday night, snow should be able to stick to most surfaces. Slick roads are possible Wednesday night into early Thursday morning. As for schools - snow should begin falling late enough on Wednesday that early dismissals are not likely. Some schools may choose to cancel after school activities on Wednesday, especially in the Catskills, but class impacts are not expected. On Thursday, delayed classes are possible across the region. If the snow ends earlier Wednesday night, delays will be less likely; if it ends later, delays will be more likely.

I’ll still be traveling internationally with unpredictable internet access, but will try to have an update on Wednesday.
-Ethan

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1:30AM Thursday:

A Thanksgiving storm is currently moving across New York State producing rain and snow. The Catskills to our west will likely pick up a decent amount of wet snow, but here in the valley mainly rain is expected. After the storm ends later this evening, it will become much colder. As we head into the first week of December it will feel like winter.

The Forecast:
Rain will fall through most of the day today. About one inch of rain is likely. Similar to last week's storm, some wet snowflakes or sleet could fall briefly during the morning hours. Snow is not likely to stick in the Kingston area, but if it does, it will be limited to cars and maybe some grassy areas. Roads will just remain wet in the Kingston area, but could become slick as you head up to the Ashokan Reservoir areas. Slippery roads are expected in the Catskills due to accumulating snow. The storm should end by about 5PM today.

Next week will feel like winter. After the storm ends, much temperatures will become much colder. Despite plenty of sunshine, daytime temperatures will struggle to reach 40 degrees. Overnight temperatures will fall to the low 20s and could even reach the teens. If you haven't done so yet, this weekend will be a great time to dig out your winter coats because you'll want them when its time to head back to work/school on Monday. Our next shot at snow may be next Thursday. However, this is far from certain because it would likely be a weak storm and is a full week away. If it were to occur, a quick round of light snow would be possible which could possibly impact schools depending on the specific timing. There are early hints that Thursday's possible snow could be followed by another opportunity for snow next weekend. That said, these are both still quite a ways away and we'll just focus on enjoying the holiday weekend for now.

Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels to all!
-Ethan