I’m watching this one closely — the combination of heat, humidity, and storm potential building through Friday makes this a week worth tracking carefully. Right now it’s a warm, muggy Wednesday morning across the region, with temperatures already in the upper 60s to 70°F under mostly clear skies. Seneca Lake is doing its usual work moderating overnight lows, and that’s keeping Geneva right in line with the rest of the region this morning.
Today will be warm and somewhat unsettled. Highs climb into the low-to-mid 80s — near 84° in Geneva and Canandaigua, touching 86° near Ithaca and Watkins Glen. There’s a 40 percent chance of showers through the day as a moist airmass lingers over the region; the NWS Buffalo office notes coverage should decrease from west to east as drier air builds in through the afternoon. Don’t cancel outdoor plans, but keep an umbrella handy through noon.
Thursday and Friday bring the week’s most intense stretch. A building ridge pushes 850 mb temperatures near +18°C, and the NWS is signaling heat index values could reach the mid-to-upper 90s on those two days — with heat headlines possible. If you’re working outdoors in Ithaca or Auburn, plan for the worst of it between midday and 5 PM Friday.
A cold front arrives Friday evening into Saturday, bringing scattered thunderstorms — most likely Friday night through Saturday — before sweeping in cooler, more comfortable air for the weekend.
Looking further out: Sunday clears nicely, with highs dropping to the mid-70s. Sunday into next week looks drier, with temperatures settling back to the low-to-mid 70s through midweek.
Weather Center forecast for the Finger Lakes region. Sourced from NWS, Open-Meteo, NWS Area Forecast Discussion, and USGS stream-flow data. Updated 6 AM, noon, and 6 PM ET.