(WKBW-TV) BUFFALO, NY — As the old adage goes, all good things must come to an end. That certainly applies to our recent spell of spectacular September weather. Here in Buffalo, we've seen six consecutive days without measurable precipitation, a mostly clear to partly cloudy sky, and four consecutive days with temperatures into the 80s. We even saw a near record high temperature of 85 degrees on Sunday. This was one degree shy of the record of 86 degrees set in 1903.
This all came courtesy of something called a "rex block" in the jet stream. Think of that blocking ridge of High pressure as a big boulder in a stream (The "rex" part just means that the shape of the jet stream was like the letter "R"). That boulder was directly overhead, preventing any approaching fronts from making their way into Western New York.
Now, typically, it's a potent cold front that might break down the pattern. That's not the case this time. In fact, it's not a cold front at all, but rather a storm that's been developing out over the open ocean water near thee Mid-Atlantic and is backing into the coast that will be responsible for our first chance of rainfall in nearly a week.
The blocking pattern that's delivered the beautiful stretch of weather to #WNY is about to break down, but it won't be a cold front that breaks the blocking pattern. Instead, it's a coastal storm that backs into the coast and then nudges northwest. #Buffalo #WX pic.twitter.com/jwm3QizC6z
— Josh Nichols (@wnywxguy) September 16, 2024
Rainfall amounts will likely be meager at best with this system, but it will give us at least some measurable rainfall. Despite the six days without rainfall, we actually don't have a deficit in precipitation at all for the month of September.
Once this system arrives, it stays for only a short time. In fact, it will likely slide back toward the coast, allowing the blocking High pressure system that's given us all this nice weather to re-establish itself...and just in time for the weekend!
