The National Weather Service issued an updated lake effect snow warning on Wednesday morning for Cayuga, Oswego, Jefferson and Lewis counties.
The alert is in effect until 7 p.m. Thursday.
Oswego County faces the most significant accumulation, with 1 to 2 feet of additional snow expected in areas experiencing the most persistent lake effect bands. Northern Cayuga, southern Jefferson, and far western Lewis counties can expect an additional 6 to 12 inches during the same period.
>> Advisory continues for Onondaga County through Wednesday afternoon
The snow band was expected to shift southwest on Wednesday morning, moving heavy snow from Wayne and northern Cayuga counties northeast across Oswego County before reaching Jefferson County by Wednesday afternoon. Snowfall rates may reach 2 to 3 inches per hour during the morning, with some weakening expected in the afternoon.
By Wednesday evening, one or two lake effect bands in Jefferson County will consolidate into a single heavy band and move south across the Tug Hill region back into Oswego County overnight. The band is expected to remain over western Oswego County and far northern Cayuga County through early Thursday afternoon before settling farther south along the lake’s shore.
More limited lake effect snow is expected Friday through Saturday.
The weather service noted that constant band movement makes forecasting difficult in terms of timing and location of the heaviest accumulations.