Prolonged Atmospheric River in the Northwest; Snow in the North-Central US

A prolonged atmospheric river will bring heavy rainfall which may lead to widespread urban and river flooding, heavy mountain snow, along with gusty winds to the Pacific Northwest into the northern Rockies through much of the week. A clipper will bring a period of snow across the upper Midwest and the Great Lakes into Tuesday, before a stronger system bring more wintry impacts. Read More >

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 Mon Dec 8 2025 The water temperature off Buffalo is 40 degrees.

1003 AM EST Mon Dec 8 2025 The water temperature off Rochester is 43 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

027
FZUS51 KBUF 090303
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1003 PM EST Mon Dec 8 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.

LEZ020-091000-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1003 PM EST Mon Dec 8 2025

.REST OF TONIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy
late this evening, then clearing.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Snow showers in the afternoon.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
10 to 15 knots. Snow in the evening, then snow and rain
overnight.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. Rain
and snow in the morning, then rain in the afternoon.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Snow and rain in the evening, then snow overnight.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of snow showers during the day, then snow showers likely Friday
night.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Snow showers likely.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 40 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-091000-
Lower Niagara River-
1003 PM EST Mon Dec 8 2025

.REST OF TONIGHT...South winds less than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy
late this evening, then clearing.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Snow showers in the afternoon.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south
10 to 15 knots. Snow with a chance of rain showers in the
evening, then snow and rain overnight.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. Rain and snow in the morning, then rain in the
afternoon.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west
10 to 15 knots. Snow and rain in the evening, then snow
overnight.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of snow showers during the day, then snow showers likely Friday
night.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Snow showers likely during
the day, then a chance of snow showers Saturday night.

$$

LEZ040-041-091000-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1003 PM EST Mon Dec 8 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM EST TUESDAY THROUGH
LATE TUESDAY NIGHT...
...GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY
EVENING...

.REST OF TONIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy late
this evening, then becoming mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest to
30 knots. A chance of snow showers in the morning, then snow
showers in the afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 5 to
8 feet. Waves occasionally around 10 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds to 30 knots becoming south. Snow
with a chance of rain showers in the evening, then rain and snow
overnight. Waves 5 to 9 feet subsiding to 4 to 7 feet. Waves
occasionally around 11 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds to 30 knots becoming southwest. Rain.
Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 9 to 12 feet. Waves occasionally
around 15 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds to 30 knots becoming northwest
15 to 25 knots. Snow and rain in the evening, then snow
overnight. Waves 9 to 12 feet subsiding to 5 to 8 feet. Waves
occasionally around 15 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow showers. Waves 3 to
6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 25 knots.
Snow showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 5 to 8 feet. Waves
occasionally around 10 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow showers. Waves 6 to
9 feet subsiding to 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around
11 feet.

$$

LOZ042-091000-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Mon Dec 8 2025

.REST OF TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south.
Mostly cloudy late this evening, then becoming partly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 30 knots in
the afternoon. Snow showers in the afternoon. Waves 2 feet or
less building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south.
Snow and rain. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. Rain
and snow in the morning, then rain in the afternoon. Waves 1 to
2 feet building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest.
Rain with snow likely in the evening, then snow overnight. Waves
4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow showers likely. Waves
4 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around
9 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of snow showers during the day, then snow showers likely Friday
night. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow showers likely during
the day, then a chance of snow showers Saturday night. Waves 3 to
6 feet building to 4 to 7 feet, then subsiding to 3 to 6 feet.
Waves occasionally around 9 feet.

$$

LOZ043-091000-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1003 PM EST Mon Dec 8 2025

.REST OF TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south.
Mostly cloudy late this evening, then becoming partly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Snow showers in the afternoon. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south. A
chance of snow showers in the evening, then rain and snow
overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. Rain
and snow in the morning, then rain in the afternoon. Waves 1 to
3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest.
Rain with snow likely in the evening, then snow overnight. Waves
5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around 10 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow showers. Waves 5 to
8 feet. Waves occasionally around 10 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of snow showers during the day, then snow showers likely Friday
night. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. Snow
showers likely during the day, then a chance of snow showers
Saturday night. Waves 3 to 5 feet building to 5 to 8 feet. Waves
occasionally around 10 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 43 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-091000-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Mon Dec 8 2025

.REST OF TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. A
chance of snow showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
25 knots. Snow showers likely in the afternoon. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow
showers in the evening, then snow overnight. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. Rain
and snow in the morning, then rain in the afternoon. Waves 1 to
3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming
northwest. Rain and snow in the evening, then snow overnight.
Waves 4 to 7 feet building to 5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally
around 11 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow showers. Waves
5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. Snow
showers likely. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 9 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. Snow
showers likely. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 6 to 10 feet, then
subsiding to 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.

$$

LOZ045-091000-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Mon Dec 8 2025

.REST OF TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south. A
chance of snow showers after midnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 30 knots. A
chance of snow showers in the morning, then snow showers likely
in the afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 4 to 7 feet.
Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
25 knots. Snow. Waves 5 to 8 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 10 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. Snow
and rain. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves
occasionally around 9 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming
northwest. Rain and snow in the evening, then snow overnight.
Waves 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around 10 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest. Snow
showers likely. Waves 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around
10 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Snow
showers likely. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. Snow
showers likely. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 5 to 9 feet. Waves
occasionally around 11 feet.

$$

Radar