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

1011 AM EDT Mon Mar 23 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1011 AM EDT Mon Mar 23 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

692
FZUS51 KBUF 240805
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
405 AM EDT Tue Mar 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.

LEZ020-241500-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
405 AM EDT Tue Mar 24 2026

.TODAY...Light and variable winds becoming southwest around
10 knots. Mostly sunny this morning, then becoming partly sunny.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Mostly cloudy in the evening, then becoming partly
cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...Light and variable winds becoming south 5 to
10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less becoming
southwest. Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest.
Rain showers likely.
.FRIDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. Partly
cloudy, then becoming mainly clear.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-241500-
Lower Niagara River-
405 AM EDT Tue Mar 24 2026

.TODAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Mostly sunny this morning, then becoming mostly cloudy.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...Light and variable winds becoming south 5 to
10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less becoming
southwest. Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Rain showers likely.
.FRIDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Becoming
mainly clear.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.

$$

LEZ040-041-241500-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
405 AM EDT Tue Mar 24 2026

.TODAY...Light and variable winds becoming west around 10 knots.
Mostly sunny this morning, then becoming partly sunny. Waves in
ice free areas 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds less than 10 knots becoming southwest.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Rain showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of snow showers during the day. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to
1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less building to 1 to 3 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$

LOZ042-241500-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
405 AM EDT Tue Mar 24 2026

.TODAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Mostly
sunny this morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves
1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming east. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest
15 to 20 knots. Rain showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet building
to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally
around 7 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-241500-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
405 AM EDT Tue Mar 24 2026

.TODAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny this morning, then becoming partly sunny.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming east. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south.
A chance of rain showers overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Rain showers likely. Waves 2 feet or less building to
3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. Partly
cloudy. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally
around 9 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 38 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-241500-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
405 AM EDT Tue Mar 24 2026

.TODAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. Sunny this morning, then becoming partly sunny.
Waves in ice free areas 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast. Partly
sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south.
A chance of rain showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Rain showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers during the day. Waves 3 to
5 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to
6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$