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

1012 AM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1012 AM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 38 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

530
FZUS51 KBUF 270804
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
404 AM EDT Fri Mar 27 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.

LEZ020-271500-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
404 AM EDT Fri Mar 27 2026

.TODAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots. Becoming mostly sunny.
.TONIGHT...North winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
Partly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly sunny.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast. A
chance of rain showers Monday night.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Rain
showers likely.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-271500-
Lower Niagara River-
404 AM EDT Fri Mar 27 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EDT THIS MORNING...

.TODAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny.
.TONIGHT...North winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
Partly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly sunny.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest.
Mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A chance
of rain showers Monday night.
.TUESDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Rain showers likely.

$$

LEZ040-041-271500-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
404 AM EDT Fri Mar 27 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EDT THIS MORNING...

.TODAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to 15 knots.
Mostly cloudy this morning, then clearing. Waves in ice free
areas 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves in ice free
areas occasionally around 6 feet.
.TONIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. Mainly
clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly sunny.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves
2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast. A
chance of rain showers Monday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest
15 to 20 knots. Rain showers likely. Waves 2 feet or less
building to 2 to 4 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$

LOZ042-271500-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
404 AM EDT Fri Mar 27 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EDT THIS MORNING...

.TODAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to 15 knots.
Sunny. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Partly sunny. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east 15 to
20 knots. A chance of rain showers Monday night. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.TUESDAY...East winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. Rain
showers likely. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around
7 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-271500-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
404 AM EDT Fri Mar 27 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy in the
evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to
3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.SUNDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. A chance of rain showers Monday
night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...East winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. Rain
showers likely. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 38 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-271500-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
404 AM EDT Fri Mar 27 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EDT THIS MORNING...

.TODAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Sunny. Waves in ice free areas 3 to 5 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet. Waves in ice free areas occasionally around 6 feet.
.TONIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves
1 foot or less building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 3 to 6 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.SUNDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers during the day. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. A
chance of rain showers Monday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...East winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south. Rain
showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$