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

1002 AM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025 The water temperature off Buffalo is 48 degrees.

1002 AM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025 The water temperature off Rochester is 44 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

290
FZUS51 KBUF 010202
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1002 PM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025

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.

LEZ020-010900-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1002 PM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025

.OVERNIGHT...Light and variable winds. Partly to mostly
cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
A chance of rain showers in the morning, then rain showers with
thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. Some thunderstorms may
produce gusty winds in the afternoon.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers with thunderstorms likely in the evening, then showers
likely overnight. Some thunderstorms may produce gusty winds in
the evening.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Showers likely in the
morning, then a chance of showers in the afternoon.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west less
than 10 knots. A chance of showers.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. A chance of
showers.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast.
Partly cloudy.
.MONDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast. A chance
of showers Monday night.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 48 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-010900-
Lower Niagara River-
1002 PM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025

.OVERNIGHT...Southeast winds less than 10 knots becoming
northeast. Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east. A chance
of rain showers in the morning, then rain showers with
thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. Some thunderstorms may
produce gusty winds in the afternoon.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming
southwest. Showers with thunderstorms likely in the evening, then
showers likely overnight. Some thunderstorms may produce gusty
winds in the evening.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Showers likely in the
morning, then a chance of showers in the afternoon.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less than
10 knots. A chance of showers overnight.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers
during the day.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast.
Partly cloudy.
.MONDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast. A
chance of showers Monday night.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LEZ040-041-010900-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1002 PM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025

.OVERNIGHT...Northeast winds 10 knots or less. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast. A chance
of showers in the morning, then showers with thunderstorms likely
in the afternoon. Some thunderstorms may produce gusty winds in
the afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers with thunderstorms likely in the evening, then showers
likely overnight. Some thunderstorms may produce gusty winds in
the evening. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Showers likely. Waves
1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast.
Partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast. A chance
of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-010900-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1002 PM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH
THURSDAY EVENING...

.OVERNIGHT...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming
east. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers in the morning, then showers with
thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. Some thunderstorms may
produce gusty winds in the afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet building
to 2 to 4 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest.
Showers with thunderstorms likely in the evening, then showers
likely overnight. Some thunderstorms may produce gusty winds in
the evening. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. Showers
likely in the morning, then a chance of showers in the afternoon.
Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally
around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. A chance of showers overnight. Waves 3 to 5 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers
during the day. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Partly
cloudy. Waves 2 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southeast. A
chance of showers Monday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ043-044-010900-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1002 PM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025

.OVERNIGHT...Southeast winds 10 knots or less. Partly to
mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Rain showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south
15 to 20 knots. Showers with thunderstorms likely in the evening,
then showers likely overnight. Some thunderstorms may produce
gusty winds in the evening. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. Showers
likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers. Waves
1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Partly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southeast. A
chance of showers Monday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Rochester is 44 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-010900-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1002 PM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds less than 10 knots becoming
east. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 knots or less. A chance of rain showers
in the afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south
15 to 20 knots. Showers with a chance of thunderstorms in the
evening, then showers likely overnight. Waves 1 foot or less
building to 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west and
diminishing to 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 3 to
6 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around
7 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northeast.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southeast. A
chance of showers Monday night. Waves 2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$