Wet and Cool in the East this Memorial Day Weekend; Well Above Normal Temperatures in the Northern Plains

A wet Memorial Day weekend is in store for the East, with widespread rainfall of 1 to more than 2 inches expected from the Gulf Coast to southern New England. Well above normal temperatures are forecast to build across the northern Plains. Another round of heavy to excessive rainfall is expected to impact the western Gulf Coast this weekend with Flood Watches in effect. Read More >

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 Sat May 23 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 54 degrees.

1002 AM EDT Sat May 23 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 48 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

647
FZUS51 KBUF 240804
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
404 AM EDT Sun May 24 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-LOZ030-241500-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-Lower Niagara River-
404 AM EDT Sun May 24 2026

.TODAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of showers early.
.TONIGHT...South winds less than 10 knots. Showers likely.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds. Becoming mostly sunny.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. Partly cloudy in the
evening, then becoming mostly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds. Partly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds less than 10 knots becoming north. Mostly
cloudy.
.THURSDAY...North winds less than 10 knots becoming northwest.
Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 54 degrees.

$$

LEZ040-241500-
Ripley to Dunkirk along Lake Erie-
404 AM EDT Sun May 24 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EDT THIS MORNING...

.TODAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north less than
10 knots. Mostly cloudy this morning, then becoming partly sunny.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...Light and variable winds. Showers in the evening, then
showers likely overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds. Mostly cloudy in the morning,
then becoming partly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. Mostly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. Mainly
clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LEZ041-241500-
Dunkirk to Buffalo along Lake Erie-
404 AM EDT Sun May 24 2026

.TODAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest less than
10 knots. Mostly cloudy this morning, then becoming partly sunny.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...Light and variable winds. Showers in the evening, then
showers likely overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds. Mostly cloudy in the morning,
then becoming mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. Mostly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...North winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear, then
becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ042-241500-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
404 AM EDT Sun May 24 2026

.TODAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east less than
10 knots. A chance of showers early. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding
to 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less becoming west. Showers
likely. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...West winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy in the
morning, then clearing. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear
in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or
less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Partly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. Partly to
mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. Mainly
clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ044-241500-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
404 AM EDT Sun May 24 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...

.TODAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Rain early, then a
chance of showers late this morning. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. Showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming west. Showers
likely in the morning, then a chance of showers in the afternoon.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear
in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or
less.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds becoming southwest 5 to
10 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Partly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. Mainly
clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 2 feet.

$$

LOZ043-241500-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
404 AM EDT Sun May 24 2026

.TODAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Showers likely early. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west. A
chance of showers in the morning. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear in
the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds becoming southwest 5 to
10 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Partly
to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 48 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-241500-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
404 AM EDT Sun May 24 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...

.TODAY...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots. Rain early, then showers
likely late this morning. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south 10 to
15 knots. Showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Showers likely in the morning, then a chance of showers in the
afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Partly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming north. A
chance of showers during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. Mainly
clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

Radar