Midday heat is doing its work out there — Ithaca is already at 86° with Watkins Glen right alongside it, and both towns still have several hours of afternoon sun ahead. The morning’s dry stretch is nearly spent. A weak cold frontal boundary is sliding in from the northwest, and NWS forecasters expect scattered showers and thunderstorms to develop this afternoon and carry into the evening. A Marginal Risk for a few severe storms exists, with gusty winds and heavy rainfall possible — not a lock, but worth watching.
That tightening pressure gradient ahead of the front will push a stronger southwest flow through the region, which may squeeze heat indices into the low 90s or briefly higher through mid-afternoon before rain chances climb. Highs today should top out near 88–91°, with Ithaca and Watkins Glen running warmest.
Rain continues into Friday before the front clears. Behind it, the weekend looks more comfortable — highs dropping to the low 80s Saturday and Sunday, with Friday’s cloud cover giving way to partly cloudy to clear skies by Sunday. Next week warms again, with Monday near 86° and Tuesday touching 91°.
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.