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

1019 AM EDT Wed Apr 21 2021 The water temperature off Buffalo is 44 degrees.

1019 AM EDT Wed Apr 21 2021 The water temperature off Rochester is 45 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

000
FZUS51 KBUF 212100
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
500 PM EDT Wed Apr 21 2021

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.

LEZ020-220315-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
500 PM EDT Wed Apr 21 2021

.TONIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of rain showers in the afternoon.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
and diminishing to 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy in the evening,
then clearing.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south. A
chance of rain during the day, then rain likely Saturday night.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of rain.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast.
Sunny.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 44 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-220315-
Lower Niagara River-
500 PM EDT Wed Apr 21 2021

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 20 to 25 knots becoming west 10 to 15
knots. Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of rain showers
in the afternoon.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy in the evening, then becoming
mainly clear.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of rain
during the day, then rain likely Saturday night.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of rain.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 knots or less. Sunny.

$$

LEZ040-041-220315-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
500 PM EDT Wed Apr 21 2021

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

.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow showers
early. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Partly sunny. Waves 3 to
6 feet building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy in the evening, then clearing. Waves 4 to
7 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around
9 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Sunny. Waves building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds diminishing to 10 to 15 knots.
Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of rain during
the day, then rain likely Saturday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of rain. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 knots or less. Sunny. Waves 2 feet or
less.

$$

LOZ042-220315-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
500 PM EDT Wed Apr 21 2021

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

.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 20 to 25 knots becoming west. A chance
of snow showers early. Snow showers likely late. Waves 4 to 7
feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 20 to 25 knots. A chance of snow showers
in the morning. Waves 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around 9
feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Becoming mainly clear. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 1
to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. Sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds diminishing to 10 to 15 knots.
Partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast. A
chance of rain during the day, then rain likely Saturday night.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Rain likely. Waves 1 to 3
feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Sunny. Waves 1 to 3
feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-220315-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
500 PM EDT Wed Apr 21 2021

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

.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow
showers through the early overnight, then lake effect snow showers
late. Waves 4 to 7 feet building to 5 to 9 feet. Waves
occasionally around 11 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 30 knots.
Lake effect snow showers likely in the morning. Waves 4 to 7 feet
building to 6 to 10 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds diminishing to 10 to 15 knots.
Partly cloudy in the evening, then becoming mainly clear. Waves 7
to 10 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 13
feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 2
to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast.
Rain likely Saturday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Rain likely. Waves building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Sunny. Waves 1 to 3
feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 45 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-220315-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
500 PM EDT Wed Apr 21 2021

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING
THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING...

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Snow showers likely early, then a
chance of snow showers from late evening on. Waves 2 feet or less
building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. A
chance of snow showers in the morning. Waves 3 to 6 feet building
to 6 to 10 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Becoming mainly clear. Waves 5 to 9 feet subsiding to
3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Sunny. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Mainly clear.
Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast.
Rain likely Saturday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Rain
likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 1
to 3 feet.

$$