Lake Temperatures

Lake Erie

The reported Lake Erie water temperature is taken at the Buffalo Water Treatment Plant located on Lake Erie at the entrance to the Niagara River. The reading is taken at a depth of 30 feet. This data is unofficial.

Lake Ontario

The reported Lake Ontario water temperature is taken at the Monroe County Water Treatment Plant near Greece, N.Y. The temperatures is measured at the intake pipes about 1500 feet offshore at a approximate depth of 35 feet. The Lake Ontario temperature occasionally may not be representative of the surface temperature due to upwelling. This process, more common during the summer months, brings colder water from the deeper parts of the lake toward the surface near the temperature sensor. The surface water may be significantly warmer. This data is unofficial.

Latest Lake Temperatures

1003 AM EST Sun Nov 16 2025 The water temperature off Buffalo is 48 degrees.

1003 AM EST Sun Nov 16 2025 The water temperature off Rochester is 50 degrees.

Monthly Lake Erie Temperatures
January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December

Historical Lake Erie Temperatures (Unofficial Normals and Extremes)

The daily lake temperatures for Lake Erie off Buffalo and for Lake Ontario off Rochester are included in the Nearshore Marine Forecast.

Click the link for previous versions of the Nearshore Marine Forecast.

NearShore Marine Forecast

587
FZUS51 KBUF 170303
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1003 PM EST Sun Nov 16 2025

For waters within five nautical miles of shore

Waves are the significant wave height - the average of the highest
1/3 of the wave spectrum. Occasional wave height is the average of
the highest 1/10 of the wave spectrum.

LEZ020-171000-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1003 PM EST Sun Nov 16 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west
15 to 20 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
Mostly sunny in the morning, then becoming partly sunny.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...West winds 10 knots or less. Partly sunny.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. Partly to
mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...Light and variable winds. Partly cloudy, then
becoming mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Light and variable winds becoming south 5 to
10 knots. Rain showers Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Rain
showers.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 48 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-171000-
Lower Niagara River-
1003 PM EST Sun Nov 16 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY EVENING...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Partly cloudy.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. Mostly
sunny.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly sunny.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. Partly to
mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...East winds less than 10 knots. Partly cloudy, then
becoming mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Light and variable winds. Rain showers Thursday
night.
.FRIDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Rain showers.

$$

LEZ040-041-171000-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1003 PM EST Sun Nov 16 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds to 30 knots. Lake effect snow
and lake effect rain late this evening, then lake effect snow and
rain showers likely after midnight. Snow showers likely late.
Waves 5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. A chance
of snow showers in the morning, then a chance of snow and rain
showers in the afternoon. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to
6 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west and
diminishing to 10 to 15 knots. A chance of rain showers in the
evening. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly sunny in the morning,
then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds less than 10 knots. A chance of rain
showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...East winds less than 10 knots becoming southeast.
Partly cloudy, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Light and variable winds becoming south 10 to
15 knots. Rain showers Thursday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet,
then subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.

$$

LOZ042-171000-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Sun Nov 16 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds to 30 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 6 to 10 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds to 30 knots. A chance of snow showers.
Waves 5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 9 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. Partly sunny. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...East winds 10 knots or less. Partly cloudy, then
becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast. Rain
showers Thursday night. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Rain showers. Waves 2 feet or less building to 2 to
4 feet.

$$

LOZ043-171000-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1003 PM EST Sun Nov 16 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds to 30 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 9 to 13 feet subsiding to 8 to 11 feet. Waves
occasionally around 16 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds to 30 knots becoming west. A chance of
snow showers in the morning, then lake effect snow showers likely
in the afternoon. Waves 7 to 11 feet. Waves occasionally around
14 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. A
chance of rain and snow showers in the evening, then a chance of
rain showers overnight. Waves 5 to 9 feet subsiding to 4 to
7 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of rain showers in the morning. Waves 3 to
6 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around
7 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots becoming
southeast. Partly cloudy, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less increasing to 10 to
15 knots. Rain showers likely Thursday night. Waves 1 foot or
less.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. Showers.
Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally
around 6 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 50 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-171000-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Sun Nov 16 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds to 30 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 9 to 13 feet. Waves occasionally around 16 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds to 30 knots. A chance of snow showers.
Waves 7 to 11 feet. Waves occasionally around 14 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of rain and snow showers in the evening, then
a chance of rain showers overnight. Waves 6 to 10 feet subsiding
to 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. A chance of rain showers in the morning. Waves 3 to
6 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around
7 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds less than 10 knots becoming
southeast. Partly cloudy, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less increasing to 10 to
15 knots. Rain showers likely Thursday night. Waves 1 foot or
less.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. Showers.
Waves 2 feet or less building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally
around 7 feet.

$$

LOZ045-171000-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Sun Nov 16 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds to 30 knots. A chance of snow
showers, then snow showers likely late. Waves 8 to 12 feet. Waves
occasionally around 15 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
25 knots. Snow showers likely in the morning. Waves 6 to 10 feet
subsiding to 5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
25 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 5 to 9 feet subsiding to
3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north.
Partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds less than 10 knots becoming
southeast. Partly cloudy, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less increasing to 10 to
15 knots. Rain showers likely Thursday night. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. Rain showers.
Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally
around 7 feet.

$$