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 Mon May 18 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 52 degrees.

1003 AM EDT Mon May 18 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 49 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

782
FZUS51 KBUF 182003
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 PM EDT Mon May 18 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-LOZ030-190300-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-Lower Niagara River-
403 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers
late.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Partly to mostly sunny.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west.
Showers with a chance of thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers in the
morning.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming
north. Partly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Partly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely Friday night.
.SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast. Showers
likely during the day, then a chance of showers Saturday night.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 52 degrees.

$$

LEZ040-041-190300-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly cloudy this
evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers in
the afternoon. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west.
Showers with a chance of thunderstorms. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers in the morning.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming
northeast. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. Partly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers during
the day, then showers likely Friday night. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms. Waves 1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-190300-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers
late. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Partly to mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to
2 to 4 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west.
Showers with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then
showers likely overnight. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Showers likely in the
morning. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north.
Partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
Showers likely Friday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Showers likely during the day, then a chance of showers
Saturday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ043-044-190300-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026

.TONIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Partly to mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west
15 to 20 knots. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in
the evening, then showers likely overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 2 to 4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers in
the morning. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves
occasionally around 9 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 10 to
15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.THURSDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east less than
10 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or
less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers Friday
night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Rochester is 49 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-190300-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026

.TONIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of showers and thunderstorms. A chance of showers late. Waves
2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers in
the morning. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to
15 to 20 knots. Showers with a chance of thunderstorms in the
evening, then showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to
2 to 4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Showers likely in the morning. Waves 2 to 4 feet
building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 10 to
15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.THURSDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming light and
variable. Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 10 knots or less. A chance of showers Friday
night. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Showers likely. Waves
2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$