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 Mon Apr 21 2025 The water temperature off Buffalo is 42 degrees.

1002 AM EDT Mon Apr 21 2025 The water temperature off Rochester is 42 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

677
FZUS51 KBUF 241402
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1002 AM EDT Thu Apr 24 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.

LEZ020-242100-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1002 AM EDT Thu Apr 24 2025

.THIS AFTERNOON...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly sunny.
.TONIGHT...South winds less than 10 knots. Partly to mostly
cloudy.
.FRIDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming south. A chance of
showers in the morning, then showers likely in the afternoon.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest.
Showers with a chance of thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. Showers
during the day.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Mainly clear.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 knots or less. Partly cloudy.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 44 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-242100-
Lower Niagara River-
1002 AM EDT Thu Apr 24 2025

.THIS AFTERNOON...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west.
Mostly sunny.
.TONIGHT...South winds less than 10 knots. Partly to mostly
cloudy.
.FRIDAY...East winds less than 10 knots becoming south. A chance
of showers in the morning, then showers likely in the afternoon.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest.
Showers with a chance of thunderstorms.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Showers
during the day.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Mainly clear.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 knots or less. Partly cloudy.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LEZ040-041-242100-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1002 AM EDT Thu Apr 24 2025

.THIS AFTERNOON...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Sunny. Waves
1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...South winds less than 10 knots becoming east. Mainly
clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.FRIDAY...Southeast winds less than 10 knots becoming south. A
chance of showers in the morning, then showers likely in the
afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers with a chance of thunderstorms. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Rain
showers during the day. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or
less.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Mainly
clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 knots or less increasing to 10 to
15 knots. Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet
or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-242100-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1002 AM EDT Thu Apr 24 2025

.THIS AFTERNOON...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast.
Partly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers in the
morning, then showers likely in the afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. Showers during the day. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Mainly clear. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south 10 to
15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ043-044-242100-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1002 AM EDT Thu Apr 24 2025

.THIS AFTERNOON...South winds 10 knots or less becoming west.
Partly to mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...South winds less than 10 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers. Waves
2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. Showers
during the day, then a chance of showers Saturday night. Waves
1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. Mainly clear. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. Partly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 41 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-242100-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1002 AM EDT Thu Apr 24 2025

.THIS AFTERNOON...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers in
the afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south.
Showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest.
Showers during the day, then a chance of showers Saturday night.
Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest 5 to
15 knots. A chance of showers during the day. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. Partly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.

$$