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

1123 AM EDT Thu May 21 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 56 degrees.

1123 AM EDT Thu May 21 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 53 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

362
FZUS51 KBUF 220204
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1004 PM EDT Thu May 21 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-LOZ030-220900-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-Lower Niagara River-
1004 PM EDT Thu May 21 2026

.OVERNIGHT...East winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Mostly
sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly cloudy.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers
overnight.
.SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southeast.
Showers.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Showers during the day, then a chance of showers Sunday
night.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds. A chance of showers during
the day.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds. Partly cloudy.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 56 degrees.

$$

LEZ040-220900-
Ripley to Dunkirk along Lake Erie-
1004 PM EDT Thu May 21 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east.
Mainly clear. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny in the
morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east.
Showers likely overnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southeast 15 to
20 knots. Showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots. Showers. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming light and variable.
Showers during the day, then a chance of showers Sunday night.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds. A chance of showers during
the day. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.

$$

LEZ041-220900-
Dunkirk to Buffalo along Lake Erie-
1004 PM EDT Thu May 21 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east.
Mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast. Mostly
sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east.
Showers likely overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southeast.
Showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
10 to 15 knots. Showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming light and variable.
Showers during the day, then a chance of showers Sunday night.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds. A chance of showers during
the day. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.

$$

LOZ042-220900-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1004 PM EDT Thu May 21 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming
east. Becoming mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
Mostly sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves
1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of showers overnight. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet.
Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 25 knots. Showers. Waves 3 to
6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming light and
variable. Showers during the day, then a chance of showers Sunday
night. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds. A chance of showers during
the day. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...West winds less than 10 knots becoming southwest.
Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ043-044-220900-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1004 PM EDT Thu May 21 2026

.OVERNIGHT...North winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Mostly
sunny in the morning, then becoming partly sunny. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming east.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
25 knots. Showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet.
Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots. Showers. Waves
3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south and
diminishing to 10 to 15 knots. Showers during the day, then a
chance of showers Sunday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. A chance of showers during the day. Waves 1 foot or
less.
.TUESDAY...West winds less than 10 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 53 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-220900-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1004 PM EDT Thu May 21 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Mainly clear.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. Sunny in
the morning, then becoming partly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast. A chance
of showers in the morning, then showers likely in the afternoon.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots. Showers. Waves
1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south. Showers
during the day, then a chance of showers Sunday night. Waves 3 to
5 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and variable.
A chance of showers during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Partly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.

$$