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

1005 AM EDT Fri May 22 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 55 degrees.

1005 AM EDT Fri May 22 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 51 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

306
FZUS51 KBUF 221405
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1005 AM EDT Fri May 22 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-LOZ030-222100-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-Lower Niagara River-
1005 AM EDT Fri May 22 2026

.REST OF TODAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly sunny late
this morning, then becoming mostly cloudy.
.TONIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of rain overnight.
.SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots. Rain.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast.
Rain in the evening, then showers overnight.
.SUNDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and variable.
Showers during the day, then a chance of showers Sunday night.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds. A chance of showers during
the day.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds. Partly cloudy.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 55 degrees.

$$

LEZ040-222100-
Ripley to Dunkirk along Lake Erie-
1005 AM EDT Fri May 22 2026

.REST OF TODAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly sunny
late this morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to
2 feet.
.TONIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of rain overnight.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southeast 15 to
20 knots. Rain. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots. Showers. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming light and variable.
Showers likely during the day, then a chance of showers Sunday
night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds. A chance of showers during
the day. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.

$$

LEZ041-222100-
Dunkirk to Buffalo along Lake Erie-
1005 AM EDT Fri May 22 2026

.REST OF TODAY...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly sunny late
this morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east. A chance
of rain overnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southeast. Rain.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
10 to 15 knots. Showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming light and variable.
Showers likely during the day, then a chance of showers Sunday
night. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds. A chance of showers during
the day. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.

$$

LOZ042-222100-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1005 AM EDT Fri May 22 2026

.REST OF TODAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Partly sunny late
this morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 2 to 4 feet.
.TONIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of rain overnight. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
25 knots. Rain. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 25 knots. Rain in the evening,
then showers overnight. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally
around 7 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest less
than 10 knots. Showers during the day, then a chance of showers
Sunday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...West winds less than 10 knots. A chance of showers
during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. Partly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ043-044-222100-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1005 AM EDT Fri May 22 2026

.REST OF TODAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly sunny
late this morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming east. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
25 knots. Rain. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots. Rain in the
evening, then showers overnight. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south and
diminishing to 10 to 15 knots. Showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Showers likely during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west. Partly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 51 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-222100-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1005 AM EDT Fri May 22 2026

.REST OF TODAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north.
Partly to mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast. Rain
likely in the afternoon. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots. Showers. Waves
1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south. Showers
during the day, then a chance of showers Sunday night. Waves 2 to
4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. A
chance of showers during the day. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.

$$