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 EST Thu Feb 12 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1003 AM EST Thu Feb 12 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 34 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

830
FZUS51 KBUF 130903
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 AM EST Fri Feb 13 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.

LEZ020-131600-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
403 AM EST Fri Feb 13 2026

.TODAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less increasing to 10 to
15 knots. Partly sunny.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. A chance
of snow showers in the evening.
.SATURDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Partly sunny.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. Mostly
cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds less than 10 knots becoming southwest.
Mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. Mostly
cloudy.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming east. A
chance of rain Tuesday night.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-131600-
Lower Niagara River-
403 AM EST Fri Feb 13 2026

.TODAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Partly sunny.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening.
.SATURDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Partly sunny.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. Mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds less than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming east. A
chance of rain Tuesday night.

$$

LEZ040-041-131600-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 AM EST Fri Feb 13 2026

.TODAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy this
morning, then becoming mostly sunny. The lake is mostly ice
covered.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. A chance
of snow showers in the evening.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Mostly
cloudy in the morning, then becoming mostly sunny.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. Partly to
mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Partly
to mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. Mostly
cloudy.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast. A
chance of rain Tuesday night.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-131600-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EST Fri Feb 13 2026

.TODAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Partly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. Snow
showers in the evening. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Partly
to mostly sunny. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming
southeast. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east. A chance
of rain Tuesday night. Waves 2 feet or less.

$$

LOZ043-044-131600-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 AM EST Fri Feb 13 2026

.TODAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of snow showers early. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. Snow showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy in the morning, then becoming partly
sunny. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 34 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-131600-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EST Fri Feb 13 2026

.TODAY...Light and variable winds becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Partly to mostly sunny. Waves in ice free areas 2 feet
or less.
.TONIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Snow
showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Partly
to mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds less than 10 knots becoming
east. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming south 10 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$