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 Fri Apr 24 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 47 degrees.

1003 AM EDT Fri Apr 24 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 43 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

943
FZUS51 KBUF 242051
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
451 PM EDT Fri Apr 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.

LEZ020-250300-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
451 PM EDT Fri Apr 24 2026

.TONIGHT...East winds around 10 knots. A chance of showers late
this evening. Showers likely after midnight, then showers late.
.SATURDAY...East winds around 10 knots becoming northeast.
Showers in the morning, then a chance of showers in the
afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of
showers in the evening.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly sunny.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Mainly clear.
.MONDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast. Mainly
clear, then becoming partly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. A chance of
showers.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 47 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-250300-
Lower Niagara River-
451 PM EDT Fri Apr 24 2026

.TONIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers late
this evening. Showers after midnight.
.SATURDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Showers
in the morning, then a chance of showers in the afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of
showers in the evening.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly sunny.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear.
.MONDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast. Mainly
clear, then becoming partly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers likely.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. A chance of
showers.

$$

LEZ040-250300-
Ripley to Dunkirk along Lake Erie-
451 PM EDT Fri Apr 24 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east. Showers
with a chance of thunderstorms. Showers late. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.SATURDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. Showers
in the morning, then a chance of showers in the afternoon. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy in
the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves
1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Mainly clear, then becoming partly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest and
diminishing to 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. A
chance of showers. Waves around 1 foot.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LEZ041-250300-
Dunkirk to Buffalo along Lake Erie-
451 PM EDT Fri Apr 24 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east. Showers
from late evening on. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers in the
morning, then a chance of showers in the afternoon. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of
showers in the evening. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less. Mostly sunny. Waves
1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast 10 to
15 knots. Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest 5 to
15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. A chance of
showers. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ042-250300-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
451 PM EDT Fri Apr 24 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING
THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING...

.TONIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of rain showers
late this evening. Rain showers after midnight. Waves 2 to
4 feet.
.SATURDAY...East winds 15 to 25 knots. Showers. Waves 3 to 6 feet
building to 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around 10 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of rain showers in the evening. Waves 3 to
6 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around
7 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 to
2 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less. Mainly clear. Waves
1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast. Mainly
clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers likely. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of showers. Waves 2 feet or less.

$$

LOZ043-250300-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
451 PM EDT Fri Apr 24 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM EDT SATURDAY THROUGH
SATURDAY EVENING...

.TONIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
A chance of rain showers late. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.
.SATURDAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Showers. Waves 3 to
6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. A chance of showers in the evening. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast. Mostly
sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast 10 to
15 knots. Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south 10 to
15 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 43 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-250300-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
451 PM EDT Fri Apr 24 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east. Partly
cloudy this evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely. Waves
2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
A chance of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Sunny.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast. Mainly
clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south. A
chance of showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west 10 knots
or less. A chance of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ045-250300-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
451 PM EDT Fri Apr 24 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east. Partly
cloudy this evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or
less.
.SATURDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of rain
showers in the afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds less than 10 knots becoming
east. Mostly cloudy in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds less than 10 knots becoming north.
Sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...North winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds becoming southeast 10 to
15 knots. Mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west and
diminishing to 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 1 to
3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.

$$