After lingering showers Friday, a stretch of dry weather begins

finger lakes weather forecast friday august 18 2023 clouds showers cool breezy dry pattern beginning
Showers will increase late Friday and into Friday night, but then, mostly dry weather is expected well into, if not through next week. [Photo by Joan Lockwood]

Transitioning Out of the Rain

A cold front moved through the Finger Lakes region overnight with rain and thunderstorms.

That precipitation has quickly moved to the east, leaving only a few stray showers in the area early this morning. Some areas are even seeing a little sun this morning between patches of clouds.

This overall setup will continue to be the case for most of the day: generally cloudy, with a shower here and a break of some sun there.

Winds will increase from the west through the morning, peaking in the afternoon at 10-15 mph. Wind gusts to the west of Keuka Lake will approach 35 mph, while to the east, top gusts will be closer to 30 mph.

Many areas will struggle to get much beyond 70 degrees. Higher elevations will stick to the upper 60s. Of course, if the breaks in the clouds are a bit more common and more sunshine is allowed through, temperatures will increase a couple more degrees.

Clouds will thicken back up late in the afternoon as showers begin to increase. Scattered to numerous showers are expected after 5 PM and through the evening hours. There may be slightly fewer showers in the counties bordering Pennsylvania compared to the rest of the region.

Showers should depart during the overnight hours, though a lingering spit of rain downwind of Lake Ontario in the far northeastern Finger Lakes may be possible early Saturday. Morning lows will range from the upper 50s southeast of Lake Ontario, to the low 50s in the clearing out western Southern Tier.

Saturday will be the first day of a new, dry pattern that should stretch well into next week.

It will still be on the cooler side, with northwest winds gusting between 25-30 mph at times. Afternoon highs will be in the low and mid 70s.

Expect a mix of sun and clouds on Saturday, but no precipitation. Skies should turn clear late and for the overnight.

finger lakes weather 7-day forecast fri aug 18 | fri, a few showers near 70 | sat, sun and clouds mid 70 | sun, sun and clouds low 80 | mon, more clouds than sun near 80 | tues, sun and clouds mid 70 | wed, sun and clouds mid 70 | thur, maybe an early shower upper 70
This graphic represents an average over the entire Finger Lakes region. Localized variations should be expected. Click to enlarge.

Dry Weather Persists

After midnight Saturday, winds will turn to the southwest. This should halt or at least slow the nighttime cooling, with lows Sunday morning mainly in the mid and upper 50s.

Afternoon highs will respond to the southerly flow by jumping about ten degrees into the low and mid 80s. Dewpoints should remain comfortably in the 50s until late in the day.

It will remain dry with a mix of sun and clouds.

Monday will be cloudier as a cold front approaches the region. This front looks to be moisture starved and lacking in upper atmosphere support. While a stray spit of rain cannot be totally ruled out, the overall expectation is for a dry frontal passage.

Depending on the timing of the front, temperatures may still make it to near or above 80 degrees. Tuesday will be back to cooler temperatures, with highs in the low and mid 70s. There is currently no rain expected on Tuesday.

Wednesday should be similar, with a mix of sun and clouds and highs in the mid 70s. Wednesday night may have an area of showers and thunderstorms move through, but this remains highly uncertain. If that does come to pass, a few lingering showers will be possible early Thursday.

The chances for rain should increase into next weekend and the final days of August, though there is still high uncertainty at play. Temperatures generally look near or slightly below average with highs most days in the 70s.

More Information:

» Finger Lakes Weather Radar

» Finger Lakes Weather Radar

» Zip Code Forecasts

» Your Forecast

» Get the FLX Weather Mobile App

finger lakes weather 7-day forecast fri aug 18 | fri, a few showers near 70 | sat, sun and clouds mid 70 | sun, sun and clouds low 80 | mon, more clouds than sun near 80 | tues, sun and clouds mid 70 | wed, sun and clouds mid 70 | thur, maybe an early shower upper 70
This graphic represents an average over the entire Finger Lakes region. Localized variations should be expected.

Stay Updated With Email Alerts

Get the latest forecasts delivered to your inbox automatically. This is the best way to ensure you are always seeing the newest information. Subscribing is easy, free, and secure. 

finger lakes weather email weather forecast updates
Get emailed with the latest weather information from Finger Lakes Weather! Click for more details.



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.