SYRACUSE -- It’s Friday! It’s hot! It’s your last chance to enjoy a summer sizzle before it fizzles by this weekend. So, how will you enjoy summer’s last stand? How long do we have before it changes? Let’s discuss:

Temperatures will rise through the 80°s today and approach the 90° mark or higher during the middle of this afternoon.  A combination of an unseasonable push of warm air, a good amount of sunshine, and a strengthening southwesterly breeze will, in concert, bring a good chance for a record setting day. Many areas with easily hit the 80°s.

However, Syracuse and areas of the Thruway corridor valley region will likely have the best chance at hitting 90° or higher due to the downsloping effect of a strong southwesterly wind.  As air rushes down from the higher hills of south-central New York, localized warming of the air takes place.  This is much like the chinook wind you might have heard about in the Canadian and United States Rocky Mountain region.  Our wind speeds will be sustained between 15 and 25 miles per hour with gusts to 40 MPH.

Syracuse's record high for September 24th is 88° set back in 1970.  The last time Syracuse hit 90° this year was September 3rd.  The latest Syracuse has ever hit 90° was on September 29th, 1959.

Temperatures will likely remain quite warm through much of this evening, as well. It appears that the leading edge to cooler weather will not enter our area until just before midnight or so.  Therefore, many areas will remain in the 80°s or 70°s between sunset and midnight tonight.  I can imagine that many people will decide to barbecue or eat outside this evening whether it is at home or out to dinner.

Be aware, though, that the chance for showers will increase with time throughout the course of this evening and tonight.  Temperatures will then fall fairly quickly through the 70°s and 60°s late tonight.

So, how will you enjoy the warmth? Tell us by commenting at the bottom of this web page.  Whatever you do this evening, enjoy the weather, because temperatures between sunrise Saturday and sunset Sunday will likely be no higher than 60-65°.

For more on your weather forecast, click on “Weather” and then the “Live Triple Doppler Radar” tab on our weather page.  Make sure you refresh the Doppler radar to see the very latest information, as well.  Furthermore, we have our new Interactive Doppler Radar on our website.  You can zoom down to street level with Interactive Doppler Radar.  You are in total control of where the radar can zoom in.  Give it a try.  Plus, click on our Severe Weather Tab and our Watches and Warnings map to see the very latest county specific watches and warnings.  In addition, you can “follow” along with me on Twitter by either clicking on the “follow” button on the Twitter section of our weather page or by visiting www.twitter.com/PeteWeatherBeat.