Areas of Dangerous Heat and Severe Thunderstorms

Dangerous heat will build across the Southwest U.S. through the end of the week with daytime highs of 110-115°F. Heat across the southern Plains will briefly ease to near-normal by late week before returning over much of the Plains into next week. Severe thunderstorms are expected across parts of the central and southern High Plains, central Great Lakes, and Ozarks Wednesday. Read More >

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 Tue Aug 25 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 74 degrees.

1003 AM EDT Tue Aug 25 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 70 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 260803
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 AM EDT Wed Aug 26 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.

LEZ020-261500-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
403 AM EDT Wed Aug 26 2026

.TODAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. Partly
to mostly sunny.
.TONIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less. A chance of showers
overnight.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Becoming mainly clear.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. Becoming mainly
clear.
.SATURDAY...Light and variable winds. Mainly clear, then becoming
partly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. Mostly
cloudy.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 74 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-261500-
Lower Niagara River-
403 AM EDT Wed Aug 26 2026

.TODAY...Light and variable winds becoming southwest around
10 knots. Partly to mostly sunny.
.TONIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less. A chance of showers
overnight.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
Becoming mainly clear.
.FRIDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and variable.
Mainly clear.
.SATURDAY...Light and variable winds. Mainly clear, then becoming
partly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. A chance of showers
Sunday night.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LEZ040-041-261500-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 AM EDT Wed Aug 26 2026

.TODAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Partly to
mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming south 10 to
15 knots. A chance of showers overnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest
less than 10 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to
1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming east. Becoming
mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear,
then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-261500-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EDT Wed Aug 26 2026

.TODAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming east. Mostly
sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. A chance
of showers overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Mainly clear. Waves
2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Light and variable winds becoming south 5 to
10 knots. Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers
Sunday night. Waves 1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ043-261500-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 AM EDT Wed Aug 26 2026

.TODAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming east. Mostly
sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. Partly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Showers
with a chance of thunderstorms. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves
2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Partly to mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Rochester is 70 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-261500-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EDT Wed Aug 26 2026

.TODAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. Mostly
sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. Partly
to mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of showers in the morning, then showers with a chance of
thunderstorms in the afternoon. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming
northwest. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening,
then a chance of showers overnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. A
chance of showers during the day. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Mainly
clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. Partly
to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ045-261500-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EDT Wed Aug 26 2026

.TODAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot or
less.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds less than 10 knots becoming south and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots overnight. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less building to 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest.
Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming
northwest. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening,
then a chance of showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast. A
chance of showers during the day. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...South winds 10 knots or less. Mainly clear, then
becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers Sunday
night. Waves 2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

Radar