Major Warmup to Prompt Tricky Travel/Ice Jam Flood Threat

The calendar says February, but again, temps will soar to springlike levels early this week. A warm front pushing up from the southern plains will usher in unseasonably warm air Monday into Tuesday. A Winter Weather Advisory is posted for much of WNY from 6am thru noon Monday with a light wintry mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain making for a slippery morning commute in spots. The wintry mix will quickly change to spotty plain rain in the afternoon and evening with temps rising quickly through the 30s and 40s. Windy and noticeably warmer weather arrives on Tuesday with highs climbing into the 50s to near 60. With the core of the storm system drawing closer to the region, periods of heavy rain and t-storms will develop on Tuesday and Tuesday night. Soaking rain, coupled with the unseasonably warm air, will sharply increase the risk of ice jam flooding on area creeks and streams. Rain will change to snow behind a cold front arriving on Wednesday with temps slipping back into the 30s. More interesting weather may be heading our way next weekend. Stay tuned...