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

1004 AM EST Thu Feb 26 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1004 AM EST Thu Feb 26 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 35 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

764
FZUS51 KBUF 270304
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1003 PM EST Thu Feb 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.

LEZ020-271000-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1003 PM EST Thu Feb 26 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less. Partly to mostly
cloudy.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to
15 to 20 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Partly sunny.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. A
chance of snow showers in the evening, then snow showers likely
overnight.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Mostly
cloudy.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Partly
cloudy, then becoming mainly clear.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of rain and snow showers Tuesday night.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-271000-
Lower Niagara River-
1003 PM EST Thu Feb 26 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...South winds less than 10 knots. Partly to
mostly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to
15 to 20 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Partly sunny.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow
showers.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Mostly
cloudy.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Partly
cloudy, then becoming mainly clear.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of rain and snow showers Tuesday night.

$$

LEZ040-041-271000-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1003 PM EST Thu Feb 26 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less. Mainly clear
late this evening, then becoming partly cloudy. The lake is
mostly ice covered.
.FRIDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Mostly
sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest.
Partly to mostly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. Partly sunny.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. A
chance of snow showers in the evening, then snow showers likely
overnight.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast.
Mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Becoming mainly clear.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of rain showers Tuesday night.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-271000-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Thu Feb 26 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly to
mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Partly sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly
sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Mostly cloudy.
Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally
around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. Partly
sunny. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of
snow showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. Partly to
mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots. Partly cloudy, then becoming mainly clear. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of rain
showers Tuesday night. Waves 2 feet or less.

$$

LOZ043-044-271000-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1003 PM EST Thu Feb 26 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south.
Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly sunny.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of
snow showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming north. A chance
of snow showers during the day. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots. Mostly cloudy, then clearing. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of rain and snow showers Tuesday night. Waves 2 feet or
less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 35 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-271000-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Thu Feb 26 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming
south. Mostly cloudy. Waves in ice free areas 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly sunny. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...South winds 15 to 20 knots increasing to
30 knots. A chance of rain showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds to 30 knots becoming west and
diminishing to 15 to 20 knots. A chance of rain showers in the
morning. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming north. A
chance of snow showers overnight. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. A chance
of snow showers during the day. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming south and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow and rain
showers Tuesday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$