Turning up the heat

Update #666: after a cool start to August in the Hudson Valley, it's about to get hot.

Aug 10, 2025

The Hudson Valley has had an unusually cool start to August, with low temperatures dipping to 50 degrees — about 10 degrees below average for the time of year.

It’s been a similar story across most central and eastern states: more than 240 million people experienced a cooler than average first week of August.

The increased prevalence of wildfire smoke — blocking incoming sunshine — probably caused high temperatures to be slightly lower than normal this past week in many states, including New York.

Bear Mountain Bridge shrouded in wildfire smoke last Monday, Aug. 4. Photo credit: Jason T. Rickey.

But now, the Hudson Valley’s air is generally smoke-free and temperatures will rise under sunny skies, with a possible heat wave from Monday to Wednesday.

The week ahead

Temperatures will reach 90 degrees several times this week, with a possible heat wave from Monday to Wednesday — marked by three consecutive days at or above the 90-degree threshold. Humidity will also be high on Wednesday and Thursday, when there will be a chance for some showers and storms.

Surging heat is likely again next weekend.

The East Coast will also need to keep a close eye on the track of a hurricane, the first of the season, that’s likely to form in the central Atlantic Ocean later this week.