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

1011 AM EDT Sun Mar 22 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1011 AM EDT Sun Mar 22 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 38 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

821
FZUS51 KBUF 230211
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1011 PM EDT Sun Mar 22 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.

LEZ020-230900-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1011 PM EDT Sun Mar 22 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northeast winds around 10 knots. A chance of
rain showers late this evening.
.MONDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of snow showers.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds around 10 knots becoming light
and variable. A chance of snow showers in the evening.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds becoming southwest around
10 knots. Mostly sunny in the morning, then becoming partly
sunny.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
A chance of rain and snow showers Wednesday night.
.THURSDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers during the day, then rain showers likely
Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. Mostly
cloudy, then clearing.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-230900-
Lower Niagara River-
1011 PM EDT Sun Mar 22 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Cloudy.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of snow showers.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less
than 10 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds becoming southwest around
10 knots. Mostly sunny in the morning, then becoming partly
sunny.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A
chance of rain and snow showers Wednesday night.
.THURSDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of rain and snow showers during the day, then a chance of
rain showers Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Partly to
mostly cloudy.

$$

LEZ040-041-230900-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1011 PM EDT Sun Mar 22 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to
15 to 20 knots. Rain late this evening, then a chance of rain
showers after midnight. Waves in ice free areas 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of snow showers in the morning, then snow showers likely in the
afternoon. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less
than 10 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening. Waves
2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds becoming west 5 to 10 knots.
Partly to mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
A chance of rain showers Wednesday night. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers during the day, then rain showers likely
Thursday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Mostly
cloudy, then clearing. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$

LOZ042-230900-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1011 PM EDT Sun Mar 22 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
10 to 15 knots. Cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.
.MONDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers in the afternoon. Waves 2 to
4 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening. Waves
2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming east. A
chance of rain and snow showers Wednesday night. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.THURSDAY...East winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers during the day, then rain showers likely
Thursday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves
occasionally around 9 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves
4 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
9 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-230900-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1011 PM EDT Sun Mar 22 2026

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

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Cloudy. Waves
3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening. Waves
2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Mostly
sunny in the morning, then becoming partly sunny. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east. A
chance of rain and snow showers Wednesday night. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.THURSDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. A chance of rain showers during the
day, then rain showers likely with a chance of snow showers
Thursday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 5 to 8 feet. Waves
occasionally around 10 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of rain and
snow showers during the day. Waves 5 to 8 feet subsiding to 3 to
6 feet. Waves occasionally around 10 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 38 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-230900-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1011 PM EDT Sun Mar 22 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Cloudy. Waves
in ice free areas 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north.
Mostly cloudy in the evening, then clearing. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. Sunny in the morning, then becoming partly sunny.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east. A chance of
rain and snow showers Wednesday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Rain and snow showers likely. Waves
2 feet or less building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around
9 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of rain and snow
showers during the day. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$