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

1002 AM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025 The water temperature off Buffalo is 48 degrees.

1002 AM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025 The water temperature off Rochester is 44 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

544
FZUS51 KBUF 301402
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1002 AM EDT Wed Apr 30 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.

LEZ020-302100-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1002 AM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025

.REST OF TODAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west.
Mostly cloudy late this morning, then becoming mostly sunny.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear in
the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Light and variable winds becoming southeast 5 to
10 knots. Rain showers with a chance of thunderstorms in the
afternoon.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers with a
chance of thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west less than
10 knots. A chance of showers and thunderstorms during the day,
then a chance of showers Friday night.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. A chance of showers
during the day.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast.
Partly cloudy.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 48 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-302100-
Lower Niagara River-
1002 AM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025

.REST OF TODAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy
late this morning, then becoming mostly sunny.
.TONIGHT...Light and variable winds. Mainly clear in the evening,
then becoming partly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 knots or less. Rain showers with a
chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south.
Showers with a chance of thunderstorms.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west less than
10 knots. A chance of showers and thunderstorms during the day,
then a chance of showers Friday night.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. A chance of showers
during the day.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast.
Partly cloudy.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LEZ040-041-302100-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1002 AM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025

.REST OF TODAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west.
Becoming mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds less than 10 knots becoming east.
Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming south. A chance
of showers in the morning, then showers with a chance of
thunderstorms in the afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 to 15 knots. Showers with a
chance of thunderstorms. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms during
the day, then a chance of showers Friday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 2 to 4 feet, then subsiding to 1 to 2 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers
during the day. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast.
Partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-302100-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1002 AM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025

.REST OF TODAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west.
Partly sunny late this morning, then becoming mostly sunny. Waves
2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less becoming east. Mainly
clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers with a chance of
thunderstorms in the afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots. Showers with a chance of thunderstorms. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west and
diminishing to 5 to 10 knots. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms during the day, then a chance of showers Friday
night. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet, then subsiding
to 1 to 2 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. A chance
of showers during the day. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Partly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 2 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ043-044-302100-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1002 AM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025

.REST OF TODAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly
sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east. Rain
showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south
15 to 20 knots. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west and
diminishing to 5 to 10 knots. Showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms during the day, then a chance of showers Friday
night. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet, then subsiding
to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers. Waves
1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Partly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Rochester is 44 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-302100-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1002 AM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025

.REST OF TODAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west.
Becoming mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
Mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 knots or less. Rain showers likely with
a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south
and increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Showers with a chance of
thunderstorms. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest and
diminishing to 5 to 10 knots. Showers with a chance of
thunderstorms during the day, then a chance of showers and
thunderstorms Friday night. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers. Waves
2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Partly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$