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 Sun Apr 19 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 46 degrees.

1012 AM EDT Sun Apr 19 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 43 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

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FZUS51 KBUF 200813
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
413 AM EDT Mon Apr 20 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.

LEZ020-201500-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
413 AM EDT Mon Apr 20 2026

.TODAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Scattered snow showers
early this afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. Becoming mainly
clear.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly sunny in the
morning, then becoming mostly cloudy.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...Light and variable winds. Becoming mainly clear.
.THURSDAY...Light and variable winds. Partly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...East winds 10 knots or less. A chance of showers Friday
night.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 46 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-201500-
Lower Niagara River-
413 AM EDT Mon Apr 20 2026

.TODAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly to mostly sunny.
.TONIGHT...West winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly sunny in the
morning, then becoming mostly cloudy.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...North winds less than 10 knots. Becoming mainly
clear.
.THURSDAY...Light and variable winds. Partly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers Friday
night.

$$

LEZ040-041-201500-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
413 AM EDT Mon Apr 20 2026

.TODAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Partly to
mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Mainly
clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly sunny. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
A chance of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. Partly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Light and variable winds. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 10 knots or less. A chance of showers Friday
night. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ042-201500-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
413 AM EDT Mon Apr 20 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EDT THIS MORNING...

.TODAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Scattered snow showers early. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south 10 knots or
less. Mainly clear. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or
less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly sunny in the
morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming
northeast. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds less than 10 knots becoming
northwest. Becoming mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 knots or less. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
A chance of showers Friday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ043-201500-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
413 AM EDT Mon Apr 20 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Scattered snow showers early. Waves 3 to 5 feet
subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Mainly
clear. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast. Partly
sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming
southwest. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...North winds less than 10 knots becoming northwest.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers Friday
night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 43 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-201500-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
413 AM EDT Mon Apr 20 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Scattered snow showers early. Waves 3 to 5 feet
subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Mainly
clear. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly sunny in the
morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Becoming
mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots becoming
northeast. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east. A chance
of showers Friday night. Waves 2 feet or less.

$$

LOZ045-201500-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
413 AM EDT Mon Apr 20 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Partly
sunny this morning, then becoming mostly sunny. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Mainly clear. Waves 2 to
4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. Partly
sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming north.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...North winds less than 10 knots becoming northeast.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east 10 to
15 knots. A chance of showers Friday night. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$