Wind advisory issued for Monroe County; RG&E prepares for power outages. What to expect today

Whipping winds are expected throughout much of western and central New York on Wednesday and Thursday, including in the Rochester region.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued numerous wind advisories, predicting sustained winds between 25 and 35 mph and gusts up to 50 mph between Wednesday morning and early Thursday afternoon. In Monroe and Wayne counties, the advisory begins at noon Wednesday and ends at 1 p.m. Thursday.

A wind advisory is already underway in Ontario, Livingston and Wyoming counties and is set to begin around 10 a.m. in Orleans and Genesee counties. Advisories in these counties are set to end early Thursday morning.

"It's not really a big wind event, but enough to bring down a few tree limbs and cause some power outages," said Weather Service Meteorologist Jon Hitchcock. Gusty winds could also blow around unsecured objects, such as lawn furniture or holiday decorations.

Motorists should be aware of the gusts while driving, he said.

Rochester Gas & Electric Corp. and New York State Electric & Gas on Tuesday shared that the power companies are preparing for predicted high winds by "pre-staging additional line and tree personnel across the state to assist with restoration efforts." Bucket trucks, auger trucks, wood chippers, dump trucks and backhoes - and their crews - are at the ready, according to the companies.

Rain is also expected on Wednesday morning and early afternoon in Monroe County, according to the Weather Service. The temperature is expected to rise to the mid-50s by mid-morning, then drop nearly 20 degrees by the end of the day. The normal daily high in late November in Rochester is 44 degrees.