Buffalo sees its first heat wave since 2020
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — In the summer of 2025, Buffalo saw five readings over 90 degrees in July alone, and almost halfway through August, we've seen an additional three days of these readings.
High temperatures over 90 degrees in Buffalo are rare, but seeing multiple consecutive days of high temperatures at or above 90 degrees is even more rare. Those streaks are called heat waves.
A heat wave is defined as three 90+ degree highs for three consecutive days. Buffalo did not see this in July, despite the large number of hot days that were recorded. The longest streak we saw that month was only two days in a row, which is not enough to qualify for a heat wave.
This has changed as of Aug. 12. With highs of 91 degrees on Aug. 10, 11 and 12, Buffalo has officially been in its first heat wave since July of 2020.
Since it has been over five years since the last heat wave, the occurrence of heat waves in Western New York is fairly uncommon.
Over a 30-year period, Buffalo sees three 90+ degree high temperature days on average per year. If that data shrinks to 10 years, the number rises to five of those days per year. This suggests that hotter summers have become more common in recent years.
Sara Stierly is a meteorologist who has been a part of the 4Warn Weather team since 2025. She is a graduate of Penn State University. See more of her work here.