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 Thu Mar 26 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1012 AM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 38 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

868
FZUS51 KBUF 270212
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1012 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 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.

LEZ020-270900-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1012 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots. Rain showers likely
late this evening, then a chance of rain showers after midnight.
.FRIDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots. Becoming mostly sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...North winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
Partly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...West winds 10 knots or less increasing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest.
Mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A chance
of rain showers Monday night.
.TUESDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Rain
showers likely.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-270900-
Lower Niagara River-
1012 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...North winds 5 to 15 knots. Rain showers likely
late this evening, then a chance of rain showers after midnight.
.FRIDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...North winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
Partly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly sunny.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds around 10 knots becoming southwest.
Mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast. A
chance of rain showers Monday night.
.TUESDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south. Rain showers
likely.

$$

LEZ040-041-270900-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1012 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...North winds 5 to 15 knots. Rain showers
likely, then a chance of rain showers late. Waves in ice free
areas 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots. Becoming mostly sunny. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Mostly
sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A chance
of rain showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Rain showers likely. Waves 2 feet or less.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$

LOZ042-270900-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1012 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EDT FRIDAY...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming north
15 to 20 knots. Rain showers likely late this evening, then a
chance of rain showers after midnight. Waves 1 to 2 feet building
to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northeast 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers Monday night. Waves 2 feet or less
building to 2 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...East winds 15 to 25 knots. Rain showers likely. Waves
3 to 6 feet building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around
9 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-270900-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1012 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north
and increasing to 15 to 25 knots after midnight. Rain showers
likely late this evening, then rain showers likely with a chance
of snow showers after midnight. A chance of rain and snow showers
late. Waves around 1 foot building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. Partly to mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to
2 to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to
2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming north 15 to
20 knots. A chance of rain showers Monday night. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.TUESDAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southeast. A chance
of rain showers during the day, then rain showers likely Tuesday
night. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 38 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-270900-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1012 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots increasing to 15 to
25 knots. Rain showers likely late this evening, then a chance of
rain and snow showers after midnight. Waves in ice free areas
1 foot or less building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves in ice free areas
occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly to mostly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less building to 2 to
4 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to
2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 to
4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. A chance
of rain showers Monday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southeast. A
chance of rain showers during the day, then rain showers likely
Tuesday night. Waves 2 feet or less building to 2 to 4 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$