


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Buffalo, NY
Issued by NWS Buffalo, NY
299 FXUS61 KBUF 171721 AFDBUF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Buffalo NY 121 PM EDT Sun Aug 17 2025 .SYNOPSIS... A cold front will bring a round of scattered showers and a few thunderstorms through this afternoon, followed by cooler weather for the start of the work week. An area of low pressure will approach the Great Lakes region through mid-week bringing a period of unsettled weather. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/... A cold front currently drop south into the region. Scattered showers have redeveloped along and ahead of the boundary. Heating will likely bring at least some risk for isolated thunderstorms this afternoon. Behind the passage of the front, a cool, dry northeast flow will result in a dry night tonight. Low temperatures will fall to the upper 40s to lower 50s across the Tug Hill region to the 50s across western New York. An area of Canadian high pressure building into the region will bring a fair and cooler day Monday, with high temperatures in the 70s, with some upper 60s for the higher terrain. && .SHORT TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... Dry and comfortable weather will continue to prevail Monday night through much of Tuesday as sfc high pressure drifts southeast across Quebec to the Canadian Maritimes. Temperatures will be warmer compared to Monday though still within a few degrees of average for mid-August. A positively tilted mid-level shortwave and associated inverted sfc trough drifting southeast across the Great Lakes will then intersect a plume of Atlantic-based moisture advecting northward from the Appalachians to increase chances for showers across the forecast area late Tuesday through Wednesday. Fairly large run-to-run inconsistencies noted among the deterministic models regards to in coverage, timing and intensity of precip during this timeframe though global and NBM ensembles have a more distinct trend towards a drier overall forecast. While there may be just enough elevated instability present for a few thunderstorms, guidance has likewise trended downwards with this potential as well. Mid to upper level ridging building back across the Great Lakes will cause an expanse of sfc high pressure to build back southward across ON/QC provinces and New England moving into Wednesday night. This will cause precip chances to taper off overnight, though can`t rule out some lingering spotty showers with lingering low level moisture and trough axis crossing the region. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... A progressive wedge of sfc high pressure will build south into the region from Canada Thursday as longwave troughing shifts east to New England. Outside of a few stray showers across the Southern Tier or Finger Lakes Thursday, mainly dry weather will return through at least early Saturday with a modest warming trend. A deep closed low moving southeast across Ontario province will then cause a pair of frontal boundaries to move through the region over the weekend. This will bring another round of shower/tstorm chances to the forecast area, though models remain somewhat split on the extent and placement of northward moisture advection in the warm sector Saturday and the timing of the main cold front between later Saturday and Sunday. Temps over the weekend will largely depend on the timing of this front, though based on current model guidance consensus a notable cooldown should occur by Sunday. && .AVIATION /18Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... A cold front dropping south through the region will bring scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms through about 22z. MVFR conditions are likely as a cold front moves from north to south, and winds will become northeast. Drier air will filter into the region and flight conditions will improve back to VFR late this afternoon and persist overnight. Northeast graident flow may be just enough to keep fog from developing overnight, with low (10-20%) confidence in any restrictions. Outlook... Monday...VFR. Tuesday and Tuesday night...Mainly VFR. Isolated showers. Wednesday...Localized cig/vsby restrictions possible especially early in the day, otherwise mainly VFR with decreasing chances for showers and thunderstorms. Thursday and Friday...VFR. && .MARINE... A cold front will cross the region through this afternoon. Winds will shift to the northeast behind the frontal passage and increase to 15 to 25 knots, highest on Lake Ontario. Small craft headlines are in effect on Lake Erie west of Dunkirk through Monday morning and on Lake Ontario through Monday. && .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...Beach Hazards Statement through Monday afternoon for NYZ003>006. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 11 AM EDT Monday for LEZ040-041. Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM EDT Monday for LOZ030. Small Craft Advisory until 4 PM EDT Monday for LOZ042. Small Craft Advisory until 4 PM EDT Monday for LOZ043>045. && $$ SYNOPSIS...HSK/TMA NEAR TERM...TMA SHORT TERM...PP LONG TERM...PP AVIATION...HSK/TMA MARINE...HSK/TMA