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

1003 AM EDT Fri May 15 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 50 degrees.

1003 AM EDT Fri May 15 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 47 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

003
FZUS51 KBUF 160803
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 AM EDT Sat May 16 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-LOZ030-161500-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-Lower Niagara River-
403 AM EDT Sat May 16 2026

.TODAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers this
afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less than
10 knots. Patchy fog overnight.
.SUNDAY...Light and variable winds. Patchy fog in the morning.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. Partly to mostly
cloudy.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of showers Monday night.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers
during the day, then showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms Tuesday night.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Showers likely during the day.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 50 degrees.

$$

LEZ040-041-161500-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 AM EDT Sat May 16 2026

.TODAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of showers early this afternoon. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms late. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms in the evening. Patchy fog. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. Patchy fog in the
morning. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds becoming south 5 to
10 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Mainly clear. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms during the day, then showers with a chance of
thunderstorms Tuesday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest.
Showers with a chance of thunderstorms during the day, then a
chance of showers Wednesday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-161500-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EDT Sat May 16 2026

.TODAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers this afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 2 to 4 feet.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. Patchy fog overnight. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Patchy fog
in the morning. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less. Partly to mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of showers Monday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers
during the day, then showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms Tuesday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest
10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers during the day. Waves 2 to
4 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ043-044-161500-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 AM EDT Sat May 16 2026

.TODAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms late. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening. Patchy fog
overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. Patchy
fog in the morning. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds becoming southeast 5 to
10 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. A chance
of showers Monday night. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers during the day, then showers likely
with a chance of thunderstorms Tuesday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west.
Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms during the day.
Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally
around 6 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Rochester is 47 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-161500-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EDT Sat May 16 2026

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

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$