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 EST Wed Jan 28 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1003 AM EST Wed Jan 28 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 34 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

283
FZUS51 KBUF 290903
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 AM EST Thu Jan 29 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.

LEZ020-291600-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
403 AM EST Thu Jan 29 2026

.TODAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A chance of
snow showers.
.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less. A chance of snow showers.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 knots or less. Partly to mostly sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less. A chance of snow
showers.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots becoming north. A
chance of snow showers.
.SUNDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming west. Mostly
cloudy, then clearing.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly cloudy, then
becoming mostly cloudy.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-291600-
Lower Niagara River-
403 AM EST Thu Jan 29 2026

.TODAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. Lake effect
snow showers likely.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Snow showers likely.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
Lake effect snow showers likely.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Snow
showers likely during the day, then a chance of snow showers
Saturday night.
.SUNDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming west. Partly
cloudy, then becoming mainly clear.
.MONDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Partly
cloudy, then becoming mostly cloudy.

$$

LEZ040-041-291600-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 AM EST Thu Jan 29 2026

.TODAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to 15 knots.
Snow showers likely early, then a chance of snow showers from
late morning on. The lake is mostly ice covered.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less than
10 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 knots or less. Mostly sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming north.
Mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Mostly cloudy,
then clearing.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy, then
becoming mostly cloudy.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-291600-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EST Thu Jan 29 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.TODAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. Lake
effect snow through early afternoon, then lake effect snow
showers likely late. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Snow showers likely.
Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally
around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. Lake
effect snow likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
5 to 15 knots. Lake effect snow. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. Lake
effect snow showers likely during the day, then a chance of snow
showers Saturday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Partly
cloudy, then becoming mainly clear. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy, then becoming
mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ043-291600-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 AM EST Thu Jan 29 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT...

.TODAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. Lake
effect snow. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Lake effect snow.
Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. Lake
effect snow. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 5 to
15 knots. Lake effect snow. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. Lake
effect snow showers likely during the day, then a chance of snow
showers Saturday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Mostly
cloudy, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy, then becoming
mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet, then
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 34 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-291600-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EST Thu Jan 29 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT...

.TODAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. Lake
effect snow. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Lake effect snow.
Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally
around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. Lake
effect snow. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
5 to 15 knots. Lake effect snow. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. Lake
effect snow showers likely during the day, then a chance of snow
showers Saturday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Partly
to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Partly to
mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.

$$

LOZ045-291600-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EST Thu Jan 29 2026

.TODAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves in ice free areas 2 to
4 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding
to 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. A chance
of snow showers in the afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to
2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest less
than 10 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening. Waves
2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...North winds 10 knots or less. Partly to mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Partly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest.
Partly cloudy, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 2 to 4 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$