The Finger Lakes and Central New York are heading into a stretch of early summer weather after a damp and chilly Memorial Day weekend, but the warmup will not last long.
Sunshine, low humidity, and temperatures pushing into the upper 70s and low 80s are expected Tuesday and Wednesday across much of the region before a cold front arrives midweek with the chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms. Forecasters say cooler air will then settle back into Upstate New York heading into the weekend.
Tuesday is expected to be the warmest day of the week, especially away from the lakeshores. Communities across the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Rochester area, Syracuse corridor, and Central New York should see dry conditions and abundant sunshine through the afternoon.
The National Weather Service says patchy fog could create localized visibility problems early Tuesday morning, particularly in valleys and low-lying areas after recent rainfall soaked the region. Fog may also affect parts of Buffalo and Lake Erie shoreline communities during the morning commute.
By Tuesday afternoon, however, conditions will feel more like midsummer than late May. Temperatures are expected to climb into the upper 70s and low 80s in many inland locations, with slightly cooler readings near Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes due to onshore breezes.
Warm weather continues before Wednesday cold front
The warm pattern continues Wednesday, although temperatures may come down slightly compared to Tuesday.
Most of the Finger Lakes and Central New York are expected to remain dry for much of the day, but forecasters are watching a cold front expected to slide south across New York by Wednesday afternoon and evening.
The greatest chance for showers and isolated thunderstorms currently appears to be across the Southern Tier and areas south toward the Pennsylvania border. Forecast confidence remains somewhat low because dry air may limit how widespread rainfall becomes north of the Southern Tier.
Even so, some communities could see brief downpours or isolated thunderstorm activity late Wednesday as the front moves through.
Louisiana Meteor Fireball Lights Up the Early Morning Sky Across the Southern United States The National Weather Service says rain chances remain relatively limited for now, with probabilities generally staying below 40%.
Cooler air settles into Upstate New York by late week
Behind the cold front, cooler northwest flow is expected to return for the second half of the week and into the weekend.
Temperatures are projected to fall back closer to seasonal norms by Thursday and Friday, with highs mainly in the 60s and lower 70s across the Finger Lakes and Central New York.
Forecasters are also monitoring another upper-level disturbance expected to arrive Friday into Saturday. While the system does not appear especially moisture-rich, it could bring scattered showers and reinforce the cooler pattern settling over the Northeast.
At this point, widespread heavy rain does not appear likely. Forecast models suggest most areas would receive less than a quarter-inch of rainfall if showers develop later this week.
Meteorologists say the broader weather pattern heading into early June favors continued cooler-than-average conditions across much of the Northeast, though not unusually cold weather. High temperatures should generally remain in the 60s instead of the 50s despite the shift away from this week’s early summer warmth.
Travel and outdoor outlook across the Finger Lakes
For most of the Finger Lakes and Central New York, the best weather for outdoor plans this week will likely come Tuesday and the first half of Wednesday.
Conditions should remain favorable for construction work, youth sports, lake activities, and post-holiday travel through midweek before shower chances increase Wednesday afternoon.
Drivers should still watch for dense morning fog Tuesday, especially along river valleys, rural roads, and low-lying areas that remain saturated from the holiday weekend rainfall.
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