Thanksgiving Day forecast in Central NY comes down to two words: wintry mix

Syracuse, N.Y. — If you are driving in Central New York this Thanksgiving Day, you should be ready for everything from rain to sleet to snow.
In some places, there will be no snow or just a trace and others may get close to six inches, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service this morning.
The weather service reports that several inches of snow are expected in the higher terrain of Central New York with mostly rain or a rain-snow mix in the valleys. In the wake of this system, lake effect snow showers will develop Friday as much cold air drops into the region.
The weather service, however, said forecasting the exact amount of snow areas will receive remains tricky at this time.
If you are traveling north to Watertown or headed to Buffalo or south of Buffalo to Erie, you will have about the same weather today, but starting Friday through Sunday parts of those areas will see two feet to nearly three feet of lake-effect snow, the weather service said.
The weather service said confidence is very high for a long duration lake effect snow starting Friday as colder conditions push in.
As the storm moves away tonight, some lake effect snow is expected to develop around the northern Finger Lakes and push north as a more defined band of snow over northern Oneida County before daybreak Friday, according to the weather service.
Snow showers will be likely through the day Friday in parts of Central New York, the weather service said. These squalls may produce a quick burst of snow with up to an inch of accumulation possible in less than an hour as they move through, they said.
Here’s the weather service forecast for the Syracuse area as of 8 a.m. Thursday:
Today: Rain, snow, and sleet before 1 p.m.; snow between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and rain and snow after 3 p.m. High near 39. Chance of precipitation: 100%. Little or no snow and sleet accumulation
Tonight: A chance of rain and snow showers before 2 a.m., then a slight chance of snow showers. Cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 30. Chance of precipitation: 40%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Friday: A chance of rain showers after 1 p.m., mixing with snow after 5 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 40. Chance of precipitation: 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Friday night: A chance of snow showers before 7 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 27. Chance of precipitation: 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Saturday: A slight chance of snow showers after 1 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 36. Chance of precipitation: 20%.
Saturday night: A slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. Chance of precipitation: 20%.
Sunday: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. Chance of precipitation: 50%.
Sunday night: Snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. Chance of precipitation: 70%.