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 EST Sat Feb 7 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1003 AM EST Sat Feb 7 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 34 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

584
FZUS51 KBUF 080303
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1003 PM EST Sat Feb 7 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.

LEZ020-081000-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1003 PM EST Sat Feb 7 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Snow showers
likely late this evening, then a chance of snow showers after
midnight.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west. Mostly
cloudy in the morning, then becoming partly sunny.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. Partly to
mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY...South winds less than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. Mostly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Mostly
cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-081000-
Lower Niagara River-
1003 PM EST Sat Feb 7 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST SUNDAY...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north.
Lake effect snow showers with freezing lake effect rain likely
late this evening, then a chance of snow showers after midnight.
.SUNDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming west. Mostly
cloudy in the morning, then becoming partly sunny.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. Mostly
cloudy.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds. Mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. Mostly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming west. Mostly
cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Mostly
cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.

$$

LEZ040-041-081000-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1003 PM EST Sat Feb 7 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST SUNDAY...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of
snow showers. The lake is mostly ice covered.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west. Partly
to mostly sunny.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. Partly to mostly
cloudy.
.MONDAY...South winds less than 10 knots. Partly sunny.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds becoming south 5 to
10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Mostly
cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Mostly
cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-081000-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Sat Feb 7 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EST SUNDAY...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north.
Lake effect snow showers, sleet and freezing lake effect rain
likely late this evening, then lake effect snow showers likely
with a chance of freezing lake effect rain after midnight. Snow
showers likely late. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet.
Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. A chance of
snow showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west and increasing
to 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers during the day. Waves
1 foot or less building to 2 to 4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves
1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ044-081000-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Sat Feb 7 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST SUNDAY...

.REST OF TONIGHT...North winds 15 to 20 knots. Lake effect snow
showers likely. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 9 feet.
.SUNDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding
to 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west. Partly
sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 2 feet or less building
to 2 to 4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding
to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves
1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ043-081000-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1003 PM EST Sat Feb 7 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EST SUNDAY...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Lake effect
snow showers. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 9 feet.
.SUNDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. Lake effect snow showers likely in the morning, then a
chance of snow showers in the afternoon. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and variable.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers during the day. Waves 2 feet
or less building to 2 to 4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves
2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 34 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-081000-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Sat Feb 7 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST SUNDAY...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Becoming
mainly clear. Waves in ice free areas 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves
1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds. Partly to mostly sunny. Waves
1 foot or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds becoming southeast 5 to
10 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. Snow showers likely. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of snow showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. Partly
to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$