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

921 AM EST Sun Jan 12 2025 The water temperature off Buffalo is 35 degrees.

921 AM EST Sun Jan 12 2025 The water temperature off Rochester is 36 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

625
FZUS51 KBUF 130300
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1000 PM EST Sun Jan 12 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.

LEZ020-131000-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1000 PM EST Sun Jan 12 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM EST MONDAY THROUGH
LATE TUESDAY NIGHT...

.REST OF TONIGHT...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Snow showers late this evening, then a chance of snow showers
after midnight. Lake effect snow showers likely late.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. Lake
effect snow in the morning, then a chance of snow showers in the
afternoon.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Partly to mostly
cloudy.
.TUESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of snow showers.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Snow showers likely.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 35 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-131000-
Lower Niagara River-
1000 PM EST Sun Jan 12 2025

.REST OF TONIGHT...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Snow showers late this evening, then a chance of snow showers
after midnight. Lake effect snow showers likely late.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. Lake effect snow showers likely in the morning.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest
5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of snow showers.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. A chance
of snow showers.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers.

$$

LEZ040-041-131000-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1000 PM EST Sun Jan 12 2025

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

.REST OF TONIGHT...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest.
Snow showers late this evening, then a chance of snow showers
after midnight. Snow showers likely late. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. Lake
effect snow. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 5 to 9 feet. Waves
occasionally around 11 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds to 30 knots. Lake effect snow. Waves
5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds 20 to 25 knots. Lake effect snow. Waves
5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around 10 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow in the evening,
then snow showers likely overnight. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding
to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. Snow
showers likely. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Snow showers likely. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to
2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding
to 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ042-131000-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1000 PM EST Sun Jan 12 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM EST MONDAY THROUGH
WEDNESDAY MORNING...

.REST OF TONIGHT...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest
15 to 20 knots. Snow showers, then a chance of snow showers late.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west to
30 knots. Snow showers likely in the morning. Waves 2 to 4 feet
building to 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around 10 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds to 30 knots. A chance of snow showers.
Waves 5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds to 30 knots. A chance of snow showers.
Waves 5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest.
Snow showers likely. Waves 5 to 8 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet.
Waves occasionally around 10 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. Snow
showers likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding
to 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-131000-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1000 PM EST Sun Jan 12 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH
WEDNESDAY MORNING...

.REST OF TONIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
A chance of snow showers after midnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves
2 feet or less building to 6 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around
11 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 30 knots.
A chance of snow showers. Waves 7 to 11 feet building to 9 to
12 feet. Waves occasionally around 15 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds to 30 knots. A chance of snow showers in
the morning, then lake effect snow in the afternoon. Waves 7 to
11 feet. Waves occasionally around 14 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest.
Lake effect snow. Waves 6 to 10 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet.
Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Snow showers likely. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to
2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. A
chance of snow showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding
to 1 to 3 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 36 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-131000-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1000 PM EST Sun Jan 12 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH
WEDNESDAY MORNING...

.REST OF TONIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers late this evening. A chance of snow showers late. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. Lake effect
snow showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 6 to 9 feet.
Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Lake effect snow
showers likely in the evening, then lake effect snow overnight.
Waves 7 to 11 feet. Waves occasionally around 14 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Lake effect snow. Waves
7 to 11 feet subsiding to 6 to 10 feet. Waves occasionally around
14 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest.
Lake effect snow in the evening, then snow showers likely
overnight. Waves 6 to 10 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 13 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Snow
showers likely during the day, then a chance of snow showers
Wednesday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Snow
showers likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots. Snow showers likely during the day, then a chance of
snow showers Friday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet.

$$