Seneca Lake

Seneca Lake stands as the largest among the glacial Finger Lakes within the state of New York. Renowned for its substantial size and depth, it remains entirely contained within the state’s borders. The lake has earned distinction as the preeminent locale for lake trout angling, exemplified by its role as the host of the esteemed National Lake Trout Derby. Positioned at the northern terminus of Seneca Lake, the city of Geneva, New York, commands attention, serving as the domicile for Hobart and William Smith Colleges, along with housing the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, a constituent entity of Cornell University. Conversely, the village of Watkins Glen, situated at the southern extremity of the lake, boasts a notable reputation due to its association with motorsport, primarily due to the presence of Watkins Glen International racetrack, as well as its picturesque cascades.

Seneca Lake possesses an uncommon macroclimate that has bestowed it with the distinction of nurturing over 50 wineries, predominantly characterized as farm wineries. Its geographical attributes have led to the designation of the Seneca Lake American Viticultural Area (AVA), solidifying its reputation within oenophilic circles.

In terms of dimensions, Seneca Lake stretches across a length of approximately 38 miles, securing its position as the second longest Finger Lake. Remarkably voluminous, it is estimated to contain an impressive 3.81 cubic miles (15.9 km³) of water, accounting for nearly half of the cumulative water volume across all the Finger Lakes. The lake’s profundity is notable, averaging 291 feet, while plunging to a maximum depth of 618 feet. The expansive water body covers a surface area of approximately 66.9 square miles (173 km²).

Placid

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I don't think I've ever seen Seneca Lake this calm. 

 

Taken on Friday August 5, 2022 at Seneca Lake.

Cool under the Hector Cliffs

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Seneca is was so calm yesterday bar the occasional boat wake. It's a big lake and even a mild breeze can make it super choppy. 

Taken on Friday August 5, 2022 at Seneca Lake.

Weather Update – August 6, 2022

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Should be a decent next two days for closing out vacation ⛺

Continued warm it seems into next week but I’ll be back in my air conditioned office 🏢 and knowing that I will have a lot of work to do and will be staying late. But alas summer can’t last forever with Labor Day Weekend three or four weekends away and the heat certain to break sometime before or after that.

Today.
Muggy !

Mostly Sunny then Chance of T-storms

 A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Increasing clouds.

Southwest wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

and

 87 degrees , 70 max dew point, 8:22
sunset.
Tonight.
Muggy !

Chance of T-storms then Mostly Clear

 A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 9pm. Partly cloudy.

Southwest wind 7 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

and

 71 degrees , 68 max dew point, 6:04
sunrise.
Sunday.
Muggy !

Chance of T-storms

 A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Mostly sunny.

West wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

and

 88 degrees , 70 max dew point, 8:21
sunset.
Sunday Night.
Muggy !

Chance of T-storms then Chance of Showers

 A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, then a chance of showers between 11pm and 2am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2am. Partly cloudy.

South wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

and

 70 degrees , 70 max dew point, 6:05
sunrise.
Monday.
Feels like …
July 15th.

Chance of Showers then Chance of T-storms

 A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8am, then a chance of showers between 8am and 11am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11am. Partly sunny.

West wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

and

 84 degrees , 70 max dew point, 8:20
sunset.
Monday Night.
Muggy !

Chance of T-storms

 A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy.

Chance of precipitation is 50%.

and

 68 degrees , 67 max dew point, 6:06
sunrise.
Tuesday.
Feels like …
September 8th.

Showers is likely

 Showers likely, mainly after 2pm. Partly sunny.

Chance of precipitation is 60%.

and

 77 degrees , 68 max dew point, 8:18
sunset.
Tuesday Night.
Hot !

Showers is likely

 Showers likely, mainly before 8pm. Mostly cloudy.

Chance of precipitation is 60%.

and

 65 degrees , 64 max dew point, 6:07
sunrise.
Wednesday.
Feels like …
September 1st.

Partly Sunny

 Partly sunny.

and

 79 degrees , 64 max dew point, 8:17
sunset.
Wednesday Night.
Feels like …
July 31st.

Partly Cloudy

 Partly cloudy.

and

 62 degrees , 62 max dew point, 6:08
sunrise.
Thursday.
Feels like …
September 8th.

Mostly Sunny

 Mostly sunny.

and

 77 degrees , 61 max dew point, 8:16
sunset.
Thursday Night.
Feels like …
August 30th.

Partly Cloudy

 Partly cloudy.

and

 58 degrees , 6:09
sunrise.
Friday.
Feels like …
September 14th.

Sunny

 Sunny.

and

 75 degrees , 56 max dew point, 8:14
sunset.

Daily Update – August 6, 2022

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Good morning! Last full day of summer vacation. 🏖

Got to make the most of it as tomorrow at this time I’ll be taking down camp. All good things must end, it wouldn’t be a vacation if it lasted forever.

Partly sunny and 74 degrees at the Finger Lakes National Forest. ☀ There is a south-southwest breeze at 8 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 69 degrees. The muggy weather ends Thursday around 3 am. 😓

Yesterday I spent the bulk of the day paddling along Seneca Lake 🛶 first from the kayak launch up to Hector Falls – about three miles under Hector Cliffs then swam and cooled off in Seneca Lake. 🏊‍♂️ Then for about two hours thunderstorms ⛈ and rain rolled through and I hung out in my truck with nothing better to do. Then when the rain stopped I paddled to the other side of the lake to the Watkins Glen marina ⛵ and explored a bit of the south and west shore before checking out the Montour Canal which seemed a lot cleaner since the new Watkins Glen sewage treatment plant 🌿 came online.

Going to be a hot one today but breezy 🌬️ so I ended up deciding against going to Taughannock State Park to swim and paddle, instead deciding on the much smaller but still choppy Cayuta Lake in Odessa. 🛶

Figure explore the marshy Cayuta Inlet 🐦 which is good for finding birds and turtles 🐢 and maybe do some catch and release fishing 🎣. Midday maybe hike a little with binoculars from Airport Road at Catharine Creek Marsh Wildlife Management Area and then the Watkins Pool 🏊‍♂️ and then one last Glen Dairy Bar ice cream 🍦before heading back to camp. 🌭 Go back to camp ⛺ watch the stars ✨ for a while at Foster Pond 🔥 then have a fire to close out the night.

Tomorrow I hope to take down camp ⛺ early and then head to Taughannock State Park. I’ll have my 🛶 with me as I’m heading home from there, so if Cayuga Lake is reasonably calm I’ll paddle it, otherwise I’ll check out the falls and do some swimming before heading home 🏡. Actually I might go to my parents house first for Sunday dinner if they are around and stay over there. Avoid the city 🌆 as long as possible. Depends on the timing but with gas prices ⛽ I will probably take the most direct route home.

Hector Falls from Seneca Lake

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I took advantage of the extremely calm conditions on Seneca Lake yesterday to paddle up to Hector Falls and check them out looking up from the lake. 

Taken on Friday August 5, 2022 at Seneca Lake.