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

1014 AM EDT Fri Apr 10 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

1014 AM EDT Fri Apr 10 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 40 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

848
FZUS51 KBUF 110812
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
411 AM EDT Sat Apr 11 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.

LEZ020-111500-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
411 AM EDT Sat Apr 11 2026

.TODAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. Sunny.
.TONIGHT...West winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear in the
evening, then becoming partly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less. A chance of rain
showers in the morning, then rain showers likely in the
afternoon.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers likely in the evening, then a chance of showers
overnight.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. Showers during the day, then a chance of showers Monday
night.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms during the day, then showers likely with a chance
of thunderstorms Tuesday night.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers likely.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-111500-
Lower Niagara River-
411 AM EDT Sat Apr 11 2026

.TODAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. Sunny.
.TONIGHT...West winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear in the
evening, then becoming partly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less. A chance of rain
showers in the morning, then rain showers likely in the
afternoon.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers likely in the evening, then a chance of showers
overnight.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
10 knots. Showers during the day, then a chance of showers Monday
night.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LEZ040-041-111500-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
411 AM EDT Sat Apr 11 2026

.TODAY...West winds 10 knots or less. Sunny. Waves 1 foot or
less.
.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming east. Clear in
the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming south. A
chance of rain showers in the morning, then rain showers likely
in the afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest
15 to 20 knots. Showers likely in the evening, then a chance of
showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. Showers during the day, then showers likely Monday
night. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet, then subsiding
to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms during the day, then showers likely with a chance
of thunderstorms Tuesday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely. Waves
2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-111500-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
411 AM EDT Sat Apr 11 2026

.TODAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Sunny.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast. Mainly
clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A chance
of rain showers in the morning, then rain showers likely in the
afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest
and increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Showers likely in the evening,
then a chance of showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to
3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 5 to
10 knots. Showers during the day, then a chance of showers Monday
night. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 2 feet or less. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.TUESDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Showers likely with
a chance of thunderstorms. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet, then subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ043-044-111500-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
411 AM EDT Sat Apr 11 2026

.TODAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Becoming
mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Mainly
clear. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast. A chance
of rain showers in the morning, then rain showers likely in the
afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south.
Showers likely in the evening, then a chance of showers
overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west and
diminishing to 5 to 10 knots. Showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet building
to 3 to 5 feet, then subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally
around 6 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Rochester is 40 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-111500-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
411 AM EDT Sat Apr 11 2026

.TODAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Partly to
mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Mainly
clear. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast. Rain
showers likely in the afternoon. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south.
Showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 5 to
10 knots. Showers. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet.
Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. Showers
likely during the day, then showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms Tuesday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$