Breakdown of Buffalo weather trends for summer 2025

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The summer of 2025 was quite noticeably hot and dry. With Buffalo recording its first heat wave since 2020, as well as experiencing the fourth driest July since 1871, there were a few key elements that make this summer one to remember in terms of the weather.

Buffalo was under abnormally dry conditions throughout most of the summer, along with two out of the three summer months seeing above-average temperatures.

These numbers are based on data gathered from July 1 through Sept. 30.

July brought in an average temperature of 74.4 degrees, which just under three degrees above the normal average temperature of 71.7 degrees. Average temperatures are calculated with a combination of both the high and low temperatures of each day.

If you just focus on high temperatures throughout July, there was an average maximum temperature of 83.6 degrees — which is about 3.4 degrees above average — including five days where temperatures surpassed 90 degrees. This would put July 2025 tied for the 11th warmest on record.

Precipitation, or lack thereof, for July was also a notable factor. With only 0.77 inches of rain recorded throughout the month, this puts 2025 as the fourth driest July since 1871.

August happened to be an outlier month. Despite recording the only heat wave Buffalo felt this summer, by the end of the month, it ended up being below average, recording an average temperature of 69.5 degrees, down just shy of one degree from normal conditions. August also picked up the most rain in one month, with 2.35 inches of rain, still under par for precipitation normals.

Then, September rolled around and brought back the hot and dry weather patterns. With a focus on high temperatures alone, the month brought warmth that ended up being 3.7 degrees above normal, with an average high of 76 degrees.

September saw more rainfall than July, but still close to three inches under what the region should have seen. 1.33 inches of rain fell in total, down from 4.10 inches normally.

Overall, the summer of 2025 is ranked the fifth driest on record over 155 years of data, accumulating just 4.45 inches over three months.

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.