Skies clear today setting up a hot weekend

finger lakes weather forecast friday july 17 2020 hot weekend
Sunshine will increase today as low pressure pulls away, opening the Finger Lakes up to hot weather for the weekend. [Photo by Helen Heizyk]

Weekend Weather

Low pressure will pull away from the region today, opening us up to sunshine and increasing temperatures.

There are still plenty of clouds and a few showers around this morning. However, dry air over Canada is poised to move in and clear skies for this afternoon.

With increasing sunshine will come increasing temperatures as well. Highs today will mostly be in the low 80s with a few mid 80s along I-90.

Winds will be on the decrease, coming from the northwest at near 10 mph this morning and near 5 mph this afternoon.

Skies will stay mostly clear tonight, though a few thin cirrus clouds may pass through at times. Overnight lows will range from the mid 60s in the north to the upper 50s in the Southern Tier, where areas of fog will develop in the typical river valley locations.

Saturday will have light southwest winds and plenty of sunshine, resulting in some hotter temperatures. Look for highs in the mid and upper 80s in higher elevations and around 90 degrees in lower elevations.

Dewpoints Saturday will be in the low 60s near Lake Ontario with 50s for the rest of the region, so it should not feel too muggy.

South winds will increase Saturday night and a deck of thin overcast will pass through. These factors will keep temperatures between 65-70 degrees overnight.

Sunday will likely end up being one of the hotter days this summer. Widespread low and mid 90s are likely. Several places may reach the upper 90s, especially between Rochester and Syracuse. Humidity levels will only be slightly higher than Saturday, though.

finger lakes weather 7-day forecast friday july 17 2020
This graphic represents an average over the entire Finger Lakes region. Localized variations should be expected. Click to enlarge.

Staying Warm with some Rain Chances

A weak cold front will move through the region Sunday night. A few showers and thunderstorms will be possible through the nighttime hours. These may linger into Monday morning, especially across the Southern Tier.

Monday will still be plenty warm, but not excessively so like Sunday. Look for highs in the mid to upper 80s. Tuesday looks to be similar with a few places possibly getting back to 90 degrees.

Another system will be possible on Wednesday. Given how far out we still are, there are a host of uncertainties.

The timing of the system will impact the temperatures and thunderstorm chances. With stronger winds above the surface also currently projected, the set up bears casual watching over the next several days for the potential for some robust thunderstorms.

Temperatures will retreat into the lower 80s for a day or two behind the front, but more hot weather will be possible before too long.

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Follow Meteorologist Drew Montreuil:
Meteorologist Drew Montreuil has been forecasting the weather in the Finger Lakes region since 2006 and has degrees in meteorology from SUNY Oswego (B.S. with Honors) and Cornell (M.S.). Drew and his wife have four young boys. When not working or playing with the boys, he is probably out for a run through the countryside.