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

1003 AM EDT Mon Jul 6 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 75 degrees.

1003 AM EDT Mon Jul 6 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 53 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

921
FZUS51 KBUF 061403
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1003 AM EDT Mon Jul 6 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.

LEZ020-062100-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1003 AM EDT Mon Jul 6 2026

.REST OF TODAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of
showers late this morning, then showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms this afternoon.
.TONIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less. A chance of showers in
the evening.
.TUESDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast. Mostly
sunny.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds less than 10 knots. Mainly
clear.
.WEDNESDAY...Light and variable winds. Mainly clear, then
becoming partly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less
than 10 knots. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms
Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...West winds less than 10 knots. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms during the day, then a chance of showers
and thunderstorms Friday night.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 75 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-062100-
Lower Niagara River-
1003 AM EDT Mon Jul 6 2026

.REST OF TODAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of
showers this afternoon.
.TONIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers in the
evening.
.TUESDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast. Mostly
sunny.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Mainly clear.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds less than 10 knots becoming southwest.
Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less
than 10 knots. A chance of showers during the day, then showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms during the day, then a
chance of showers Friday night.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LEZ040-062100-
Ripley to Dunkirk along Lake Erie-
1003 AM EDT Mon Jul 6 2026

.REST OF TODAY...Northeast winds around 10 knots. A chance of
showers late this morning, then showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms this afternoon. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers in
the evening. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly to mostly sunny.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Becoming mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 10 knots or less. Partly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms Thursday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast.
Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms during the day,
then a chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday night. Waves
2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LEZ041-062100-
Dunkirk to Buffalo along Lake Erie-
1003 AM EDT Mon Jul 6 2026

.REST OF TODAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of
showers late this morning, then showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms this afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening. Waves
1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast. Mostly
sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds less than 10 knots. Becoming
mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Light and variable winds. Mainly clear, then
becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms Thursday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast.
Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms during the day,
then a chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday night. Waves
2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-062100-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1003 AM EDT Mon Jul 6 2026

.REST OF TODAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming east
15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers this afternoon. Waves 2 to
4 feet.
.TONIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers in the
evening. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Sunny.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Mainly clear. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Mainly clear, then
becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. A chance
of showers during the day, then showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms Thursday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms during the day, then a
chance of showers Friday night. Waves 1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ043-044-062100-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1003 AM EDT Mon Jul 6 2026

.REST OF TODAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers
this afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers in the
evening. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast. Mostly
sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds less than 10 knots becoming south.
Mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms Thursday night. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms during the day, then a
chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday night. Waves 1 foot or
less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Rochester is 53 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-062100-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1003 AM EDT Mon Jul 6 2026

.REST OF TODAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast.
Cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. Mostly
sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 10 knots or less. Mainly clear, then
becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely Thursday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. Showers
likely during the day, then a chance of showers Friday night.
Waves 1 foot or less.

$$