Watkins Glen’s thermometer hit 100° this evening — and that reading, paired with dew points in the mid-70s, captures exactly where we stand as this heat wave enters its final full night. Extreme Heat Warnings from both NWS Buffalo and NWS Binghamton cover every county in the Finger Lakes and remain in effect until Friday at 8:00 PM.
Tonight will bring little relief. Overnight lows will only ease into the mid-to-upper 70s across most of the region — Geneva near 75°, Ithaca and Watkins Glen both holding around 74°, with Corning and Bath staying near 71°-72°. That means no real recovery window before tomorrow’s heat rebuilds. Heat index values will remain dangerous through much of Friday, with peak values expected in the 104° to 108° range before the warning expires Friday evening.
The good news: the upper-level ridge driving this event is beginning to slide east toward the coast, and Friday itself should see highs a few degrees lower than today — upper 80s to low 90s rather than the triple-digit readings some southern-tier locations hit today. No frost risk tonight, and no thunderstorm threat until the weekend.
Looking ahead: Independence Day on Saturday brings the first meaningful cool-down, with highs falling into the low 80s and a 64% chance of showers and drizzle in Geneva — not a washout, but fireworks plans carry a real uncertainty. Keep an eye on the evening sky if you’re heading out Saturday night.
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.