Syracuse, N.Y. -- Thunderstorms, strong winds and heavy rain are likely in Central New York on Saturday, the final night of outdoor performances at the 2024 National Grid Syracuse International Jazz Fest.
The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather alert, an early head’s up that severe weather is on the horizon. Current forecasts show the worst of the storm hitting in the evening, during the heart of the Jazz Fest lineup.
“A slow-moving frontal system brings periods of rain and scattered strong to severe thunderstorms to the area Saturday into Saturday night, with localized flash flooding possible,” the alert said. “A few storms could produce strong to damaging winds.”
Wind gusts could reach 30 mph, and there’s a 30% to 50% chance of thunder from Saturday afternoon through sunrise Sunday. There’s even a 2% to 5% chance of a tornado Saturday night, the weather service said.
If you plan to attend the festival on Saturday, pay close attention to the forecast and watch for any potential cancellations.
Rain is expected to start before dawn Saturday and intensify toward evening as the big storm system moves across the Midwest and the Great Lakes into Upstate New York. Odds of rain in Syracuse are 90% from early Saturday afternoon to Sunday morning. More than an inch of rain could fall during that period, the weather service said, with areas hit by thunderstorms getting 2 inches or more.
“Current guidance has an area of moderate to locally heavy rainfall and embedded thunderstorms over most of the area Saturday evening, which slowly exit east by around midnight,” the weather service said. “Data suggests very favorable conditions for warm, extremely efficient rainfall processes.”
Heavy rainfall, enough to cause flash flooding, is the biggest concern, the weather service said. The incoming storm system is laden with moisture, and there’s enough instability in the atmosphere to wring out much of that water out of the clouds.
The Jazz Fest is one of downtown Syracuse’s biggest summer festivals. Last year, more than 20,000 people saw Herbie Hancock and Gladys Knight perform in Clinton Square, according to festival founder and executive producer Frank Malfitano.
Saturday evening’s lineup includes Gino Vanelli at 7:15 p.m. and The O’Jays at 9:30 p.m.
If you’d rather catch some jazz with perfect weather, go tonight, when skies will be mostly clear and there’s a zero percent chance of rain. Tonight’s lineup includes Freda Payne Big Band (“Freda Celebrates Ella”) at 6:35 p.m., Gunhild Carling Big Band (Sweden’s Queen of Swing) at 7:55 p.m., and smooth jazz saxophonist Kenny G at 9:25 p.m.
The 2024 Syracuse Jazz Fest will conclude Sunday with “Return to Community: A Sunday Gospel Jazz Service,” featuring The Bowie State University Gospel Choir, The Black Celestial Choral Ensemble (BCCE) of Syracuse University, and a community choir at Syracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel.
This map shows the expected rainfall from Saturday morning to Sunday morning in Upstate New York. Areas in orange could get up to 3 inches, largely due to the effect of water being wrung out of clouds as the storms moves upward to the Tug Hill Plateau.National Weather Service