Winter Weather in the Eastern U.S.; Heavy Rains Begin Across the Southern Plains into the Ohio Valley

A wintry mix may impact travel across portions of the Mid-Atlantic through the morning and the Northeast U.S. through Tuesday. Heavy rain and thunderstorms may cause a flooding threat across the Southern Plains into the Ohio Valley beginning Tuesday. Fire weather concerns will continue across portions of the central and southern High Plains through Wednesday. 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

1004 AM EST Mon Mar 2 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1004 AM EST Mon Mar 2 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 35 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

814
FZUS51 KBUF 030304
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1004 PM EST Mon Mar 2 2026

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.

LEZ020-031000-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1004 PM EST Mon Mar 2 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...East winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear
late this evening, then becoming partly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds less than 10 knots. A chance of rain
in the afternoon.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. Patchy fog. A chance
of rain and freezing rain in the evening, then a chance of
freezing rain overnight.
.WEDNESDAY...Light and variable winds. Partly to mostly sunny.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds less than 10 knots. A chance
of rain overnight.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less. Rain showers.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Rain
showers likely.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-031000-
Lower Niagara River-
1004 PM EST Mon Mar 2 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...East winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear
late this evening, then becoming partly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds less than 10 knots. A chance of rain
in the afternoon.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. A chance of rain and
freezing rain in the evening, then a chance of freezing rain
overnight.
.WEDNESDAY...Light and variable winds. Mostly sunny.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds less than 10 knots. A chance
of rain overnight.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less increasing to 10 to
15 knots. Rain showers likely during the day, then rain showers
Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. Rain
showers likely.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers.

$$

LEZ040-041-031000-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1004 PM EST Mon Mar 2 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...East winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear
late this evening, then becoming partly cloudy. The lake is
mostly ice covered.
.TUESDAY...East winds less than 10 knots. A chance of rain and
freezing rain in the morning, then rain likely with a chance of
freezing rain in the afternoon. Patchy fog in the afternoon.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. Patchy fog. A chance
of rain and freezing rain in the evening, then a chance of rain
overnight.
.WEDNESDAY...Light and variable winds. Mostly cloudy in the
morning, then becoming mostly sunny.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. A chance of rain.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. Rain showers likely during the day, then rain
showers Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming south and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Rain showers likely.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Rain showers.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-031000-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1004 PM EST Mon Mar 2 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming
south. Mainly clear late this evening, then becoming partly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east. A
chance of rain in the afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds less than 10 knots becoming
west. A chance of rain. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds less than 10 knots becoming northeast.
Mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less. A chance of rain
overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of rain showers during the day, then rain
showers Thursday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to
6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south 5 to
15 knots. Rain showers likely. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to
2 feet or less. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Showers. Waves 2 to
4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet, then subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
Waves occasionally around 6 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-031000-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1004 PM EST Mon Mar 2 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south.
Mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast. A chance
of rain and snow in the afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming west.
A chance of rain. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds less than 10 knots becoming northeast.
Partly to mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less. Partly to mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east 15 to
20 knots. A chance of rain showers during the day, then rain
showers Thursday night. Waves 2 feet or less building to 3 to
6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south. Rain showers.
Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally
around 7 feet.
.SATURDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest.
Showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 35 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-031000-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1004 PM EST Mon Mar 2 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south
15 to 20 knots. Mainly clear. Waves in ice free areas 1 foot or
less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southeast 5 to
15 knots. A chance of rain and snow in the afternoon. Waves
1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less becoming west. A
chance of rain and snow in the evening, then a chance of rain
overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds less than 10 knots becoming southwest.
Partly to mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east 15 to
20 knots. A chance of rain showers during the day, then rain
showers with freezing rain likely Thursday night. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south. Rain showers
with freezing rain likely during the day, then rain showers
likely Friday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. Rain
showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$

Radar