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 EDT Wed May 20 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 55 degrees.

1003 AM EDT Wed May 20 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 50 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

419
FZUS51 KBUF 202004
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
404 PM EDT Wed May 20 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-LOZ030-210300-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-Lower Niagara River-
404 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026

.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast.
Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly sunny.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Becoming mainly clear.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Mostly
sunny in the morning, then becoming partly sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely
overnight.
.SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast. Showers
with a chance of thunderstorms.
.SUNDAY...South winds 10 knots or less. A chance of showers.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. A chance of showers
during the day.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 55 degrees.

$$

LEZ040-041-210300-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
404 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northeast
15 to 20 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves
2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast. Mostly
sunny in the morning, then becoming partly sunny. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers in
the evening, then showers overnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south. Showers
with a chance of thunderstorms. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...South winds 10 knots or less. A chance of showers.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. A chance of showers
during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-210300-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
404 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026

.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast 15 to
20 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming east 5 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less. Becoming mainly
clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
Mostly sunny in the morning, then becoming partly sunny. Waves
1 foot or less building to 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Showers likely overnight. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding
to 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...East winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southeast.
Showers. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. Showers
likely during the day, then a chance of showers Sunday night.
Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west. A
chance of showers during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ043-044-210300-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
404 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northeast. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 5 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...North winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Partly to
mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming east. A
chance of showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots. Showers. Waves 2 to
4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet, then subsiding to 2 to 4 feet.
Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south and
diminishing to 10 to 15 knots. Showers during the day, then
showers likely Sunday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to
1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming west. Showers
likely during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 53 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-210300-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
404 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT...

.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northeast. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 5 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or
less.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds less than 10 knots becoming north. Mostly
sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southeast and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building
to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south and
diminishing to 10 to 15 knots. Showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Showers likely during the day. Waves 2 feet or less.

$$