Temperatures of almost 100 degrees Fahrenheit will hit Ithaca next week as summer ramps up, according to the National Weather Service. As the heatwave blasts Ithaca, Tompkins County is offering resources for community members in need.
Ithaca experienced temperatures in the high 80s this week, and Monday and Tuesday will grow even hotter — Ithaca can expect high temperatures of 97 degrees Fahrenheit. On Monday, the hottest day of the week, the NWS expects a heat index value, or “feels-like temperature,” of 107 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Oppressive heat and humidity” and “little relief at night” are expected Sunday through Tuesday, according to the NWS Hazardous Weather Outlook site.
The elevated temperatures felt in Ithaca are a part of a larger heatwave currently taking over the northeastern and midwestern parts of the country.
Cooling centers, or air-conditioned locations where people can cool off, are listed by the New York Department of Health for community members who need to escape the heat. These locations are free to the public.
Heat Risk
Ithaca will fall into NWS’ extreme heat risk category on Monday and Tuesday, and the major heat risk category on Sunday and Wednesday. NWS uses a four-category scale to assess heat risk, ranging from category 0, indicating little or no risk, to category 3, indicating major risk and category 4, indicating extreme risk.
Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) warned New Yorkers to stay aware and prepare for the upcoming intense heat. In a statement published on her website, she directed New Yorkers to monitor local air quality and heat levels.
“With severe storms and dangerous heat expected across the state, I’m urging all New Yorkers to take precautions — stay indoors when possible, vote early, stay hydrated and check on your fellow New Yorkers,” Hochul said in the statement. “My administration will be closely monitoring the weather over the next week, and I encourage all New Yorkers to stay weather aware, watch their local forecast and follow all local guidance.”
Cooling Centers in Tompkins County
Community members should call the centers ahead of visiting to ensure availability. The full list of New York cooling centers is available online.
- Appel Commons Community Center — (607)351-3096
- 186 Cradit Farm Dr, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Greater Ithaca Activities Center — (607)272-3622
- 301 W. Court St, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Groton Public Library — (607)898-5055
- 112 E. Cortland St, Groton, NY 13073
- Ithaca College (Athletics & Events Center, Campus Center, Fitness Center) — (607)274-1092
- 953 Danby Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Lansing Community Library — (607)533-4939
- 27 Auburn Rd, Lansing, NY 14882
- Newfield Public Library — (607)564-3594
- 198 Main St, Newfield, NY 14867
- Noyes Community Recreation Center — (607)255-0421
- 306 West Ave, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Olin and Uris Libraries — (607)255-4144
- 161 Ho Plaza 14853, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Robert Purcell Community Center — (607)255-6214
- 107 Jessup Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Shops at Ithaca Mall — (607)257-5338
- 40 Catherwood Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Southworth Library — (607)844-4782
- 24 W. Main St, Dryden, NY 13053
- Tompkins Cortland Community College — (607)844-8211
- 170 North St, Dryden, NY 13053
- Tompkins County Public Library — (607)272-4557
- 101 East Green St, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Ulysses Philomathic Library — (607)387-5623
- 74 E. Main St, Trumansburg, NY 14886
- YMCA of Ithaca & Tompkins County — (607)257-0101
- 50 Graham Road West, Ithaca, NY 14850
Varsha Bhargava is a reporter at the Ithaca Times and a news editor at The Cornell Daily Sun working on The Sun’s summer fellowship. This article was previously published in the Ithaca Times.
Varsha Bhargava is a news editor for the 143rd Editorial Board and a member of the Class of 2027 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She can be reached at vbhargava@cornellsun.com.
