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

1012 AM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1012 AM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 38 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

338
FZUS51 KBUF 261412
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1012 AM EDT Thu Mar 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.

LEZ020-262100-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1012 AM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming
northwest. Rain.
.TONIGHT...North winds 5 to 15 knots. Rain in the evening, then a
chance of rain showers overnight.
.FRIDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots. Becoming mostly sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...North winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
Mainly clear.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of snow showers during the day.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. A chance
of rain showers Monday night.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-262100-
Lower Niagara River-
1012 AM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north.
Rain.
.TONIGHT...North winds 5 to 15 knots. Rain in the evening.
.FRIDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots. Becoming mostly sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...North winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Mostly
cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. A chance
of rain showers Monday night.

$$

LEZ040-041-262100-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1012 AM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming
northwest. Rain with a chance of thunderstorms.
Waves in ice free areas 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...North winds 5 to 15 knots. Rain with a chance of
thunderstorms in the evening, then a chance of rain and snow
showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy in the morning, then clearing. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest.
Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less building to 1 to
3 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves
2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northeast 5 to
15 knots. A chance of rain showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$

LOZ042-262100-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1012 AM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH
FRIDAY MORNING...

.THIS AFTERNOON...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north.
Rain. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.TONIGHT...North winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Rain in the evening, then a chance of rain showers
overnight. Waves 1 to 2 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northeast 5 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
2 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. A
chance of snow showers Saturday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet building
to 3 to 5 feet, then subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally
around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north. A chance
of rain showers Monday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-262100-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1012 AM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH
FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

.THIS AFTERNOON...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. Rain
this afternoon. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.TONIGHT...North winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Rain in the evening, then a chance of rain and snow
showers overnight. Waves 1 to 2 feet building to 3 to 6 feet.
Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Becoming mostly sunny. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north. A chance
of rain showers Monday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 38 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-262100-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1012 AM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west.
Rain. Waves in ice free areas 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...North winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Rain in the evening, then a chance of rain and snow
showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Sunny. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves
2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers Saturday night. Waves 1 foot
or less building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers during the day. Waves 1 to
3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.MONDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 10 to
15 knots. A chance of rain showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding
to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$