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 Tue Feb 10 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1003 AM EST Tue Feb 10 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

335
FZUS51 KBUF 102103
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 PM EST Tue Feb 10 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.

LEZ020-110400-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
403 PM EST Tue Feb 10 2026

.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Snow showers
likely.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow
showers in the morning.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds less than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Mostly
cloudy.
.SATURDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Mostly
cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. A
chance of snow and rain showers Sunday night.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-110400-
Lower Niagara River-
403 PM EST Tue Feb 10 2026

.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of
snow showers in the evening, then snow showers likely overnight.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow
showers in the morning.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds less than 10 knots becoming
west. Mostly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Mostly
cloudy.
.SATURDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Mostly
cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. A
chance of snow and rain showers Sunday night.

$$

LEZ040-041-110400-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 PM EST Tue Feb 10 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. A chance
of snow showers and freezing drizzle after midnight. A chance of
snow showers late. The lake is mostly ice covered.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow showers
in the morning, then lake effect snow showers likely in the
afternoon.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Snow showers likely in the evening, then a chance of
snow showers overnight.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow showers in
the morning.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots.
Mostly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Partly to
mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. A
chance of rain showers during the day, then a chance of rain
showers, snow showers and freezing rain Sunday night.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-110400-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EST Tue Feb 10 2026

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

.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 to
4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of snow showers in the morning, then lake effect snow
showers in the afternoon. Waves 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally
around 10 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Lake effect
snow showers in the evening, then a chance of snow showers
overnight. Waves 5 to 8 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 10 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers in the morning. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of snow and rain showers Sunday night. Waves 1 foot or
less.

$$

LOZ043-044-110400-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 PM EST Tue Feb 10 2026

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

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. A chance
of rain showers and freezing drizzle early, then a chance of
freezing drizzle late this evening. A chance of snow showers
after midnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest. Lake
effect snow showers. Waves 5 to 8 feet building to 7 to 10 feet.
Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Lake effect
snow showers. Waves 5 to 9 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 11 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers in the morning. Waves 3 to
5 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers
Friday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south and
diminishing to 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 3 to 5 feet
subsiding to 1 foot or less. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south. A chance
of snow showers Sunday night. Waves 1 foot or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 34 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-110400-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EST Tue Feb 10 2026

.TONIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Snow showers, rain showers
likely with a chance of freezing drizzle early, then a chance of
snow showers and freezing drizzle late this evening. A chance of
snow showers after midnight. Waves in ice free areas 1 foot or
less.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest. Lake
effect snow showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
10 to 15 knots. Lake effect snow showers likely in the evening,
then a chance of snow showers overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers in the morning. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
A chance of snow showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south. A chance
of snow showers Sunday night. Waves 1 foot or less.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$