The longest day of the year is opening with clear skies and mid-50s temperatures — and as the Weather Center writer, I’d be sending everyone outside early, because by tonight the picture changes considerably. A surface low tracking east across the Ohio Valley will push a surge of moisture into the Finger Lakes late tonight, and rain will be with us through much of Monday.
For now, enjoy it. Temperatures this morning are running in the mid-to-upper 50s regionwide, from 54° in Corning to 58° in Canandaigua and Penn Yan. Skies will stay mainly clear through the morning, with highs climbing into the mid-to-upper 70s this afternoon — Ithaca and Watkins Glen both touch near 78°, while Geneva tops out around 75°. A light westerly breeze keeps humidity comfortable through the afternoon hours.
The evening is where the day starts to slide. Cloud cover thickens after sunset — which comes late tonight at 8:50 PM, one of the year’s longest days — and showers push in after midnight. The NWS Buffalo office notes that timing and placement remain uncertain, with guidance varying on exactly when the rain arrives, but the general window is late tonight through Monday. Monday looks like the core of the wet weather, with highs dropping to near 67° and a 75% precipitation chance. Rainfall could be heavier at times.
Looking ahead: the low pulls away Monday evening, Tuesday clears out with highs back near 74°, and Wednesday looks dry and pleasant at 76°. Another shower chance returns Thursday into Friday, but nothing disruptive. Temperatures remain seasonable through the week.
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.