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 Wed Apr 8 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

1012 AM EDT Wed Apr 8 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 39 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

153
FZUS51 KBUF 090213
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1013 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 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.

LEZ020-090900-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1013 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots. Mainly clear late
this evening, then becoming partly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Partly
to mostly sunny.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming light
and variable. A chance of showers.
.FRIDAY...Light and variable winds becoming northwest 5 to
10 knots. Showers.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. Rain showers
in the evening.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-090900-
Lower Niagara River-
1013 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots. Mainly clear late
this evening, then becoming partly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Partly to mostly sunny.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming light
and variable. A chance of rain showers.
.FRIDAY...Light and variable winds. Rain showers.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. Rain showers in the
evening.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers.

$$

LEZ040-041-090900-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1013 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south
15 to 20 knots. Mainly clear late this evening, then becoming
partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming
southeast less than 10 knots. A chance of rain showers. Waves
1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. Rain
showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. Rain showers
in the evening, then a chance of rain showers overnight. Waves
1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Light and variable winds. Mainly clear. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming south and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less
building to 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers.
Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.

$$

LOZ042-090900-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1013 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south
15 to 20 knots. Mainly clear. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of showers in the afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to
3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming
northwest and diminishing to less than 10 knots overnight. A
chance of rain showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds less than 10 knots. Rain showers. Waves
1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Rain showers in
the evening. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
Mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. A chance of rain showers Sunday night. Waves 2 feet or
less building to 2 to 4 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of showers.
Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.

$$

LOZ044-090900-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
1013 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2026

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

.REST OF TONIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south
15 to 20 knots. Mainly clear. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
Showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Rain showers in
the evening, then a chance of rain showers overnight. Waves
2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. A chance of rain showers Sunday
night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.

$$

LOZ043-090900-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1013 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south
15 to 20 knots. Mainly clear. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. Partly
to mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west
5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers in the evening. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots becoming north. Rain
showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west.
Rain showers in the evening, then a chance of rain showers
overnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers.
Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 39 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-090900-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1013 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2026

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

.REST OF TONIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south
and increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Mainly clear. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 2 to 4 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds less than 10 knots becoming northwest.
Rain showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Rain showers in
the evening, then a chance of rain showers overnight. Waves
1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. A chance of rain showers Sunday
night. Waves 1 foot or less building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.MONDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of showers during the day, then showers likely Monday night.
Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.

$$