Thunderstorm Threat Tracks Through the Southern Finger Lakes This Afternoon

Weather forecast for the Finger Lakes: Thunderstorm Threat Tracks Through the Southern Finger Lakes This Afternoon

Scattered drizzle has already reached Watkins Glen and Elmira this midday, and NWS Buffalo flagged conditions favorable for isolated to scattered severe thunderstorms through this evening — so today’s story isn’t over yet. A warm front is pushing northward through the region, pulling dewpoints into the upper 60s and fueling a corridor of instability. The southern tier is seeing the most action right now, with moderate drizzle in Watkins Glen and Elmira at 80°–82°F. Ithaca is also catching light drizzle while northern towns like Geneva, Auburn, and Penn Yan sit overcast but mostly dry at 80°F.

This afternoon, showers and storms may expand northward as the warm front continues to lift. Keep an eye on development between 2 PM and 6 PM — any storm that organizes could carry heavy rain and gusty winds. Clouds begin to break after the activity clears tonight, with lows settling near 68°. Wednesday brings a significant cooldown — highs drop to 69°F — with the chance of a few lingering showers before a stretch of mainly clear, pleasant weather builds Thursday through Friday.

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.

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