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 5 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

1012 AM EDT Sun Apr 5 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 42 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

966
FZUS51 KBUF 061205
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
805 AM EDT Mon Apr 6 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.

LEZ020-061515-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
805 AM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026

.TODAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to 10 knots.
A chance of rain and snow showers early this afternoon. Rain and
snow showers likely late.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Snow and
rain showers likely in the evening, then snow showers likely
overnight.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Snow showers likely in
the morning.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear.
.WEDNESDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming south
10 to 15 knots. Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers
Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. A
chance of showers.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-061515-
Lower Niagara River-
805 AM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026

.TODAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of rain showers early
this afternoon. Rain showers likely late.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Rain and
snow showers likely in the evening, then snow showers likely
overnight.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Snow showers likely in
the morning.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. Mainly
clear.
.WEDNESDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of showers Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. A
chance of showers.

$$

LEZ040-041-061515-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
805 AM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026

.TODAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers
early, then snow showers likely late this morning. A chance of
snow showers this afternoon. Waves in ice free areas 2 feet or
less.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Snow and rain showers likely in the evening, then snow
showers likely overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers in the morning. Waves 2 to
4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southeast winds less than 10 knots becoming south
and increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Mainly clear, then becoming
partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less building to 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of rain showers
Thursday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest less than
10 knots. A chance of rain showers. Waves 2 feet or less.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$

LOZ042-061515-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
805 AM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026

.TODAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to 15 knots.
Cloudy early, then becoming partly sunny. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 2 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Rain and snow showers likely in the
evening, then snow showers likely overnight. Waves 1 to 2 feet
building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Snow showers likely in the morning. Waves 4 to 6 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south
less than 10 knots. Mainly clear. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to
1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 10 knots or less increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of showers Thursday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ043-061515-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
805 AM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026

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

.TODAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to 10 knots.
A chance of snow showers early, then snow and rain showers likely
late this morning. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet.
Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Rain showers likely with a chance
of snow showers in the evening, then snow showers likely
overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Snow showers likely in the morning, then a chance of
snow showers in the afternoon. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to
2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Mainly clear. Waves
2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 10 knots or less increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of rain showers
Thursday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west and
diminishing to 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 2 feet
or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 42 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-061515-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
805 AM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026

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

.TODAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to 10 knots.
Snow showers likely early, then snow showers likely with a chance
of rain showers late this morning. A chance of rain and snow
showers early this afternoon. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening, then snow
showers likely overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.
.TUESDAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest and
diminishing to 10 to 15 knots. Snow showers likely in the
morning, then a chance of snow showers in the afternoon. Waves
3 to 6 feet building to 4 to 7 feet, then subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Mainly clear. Waves
2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 2 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Mainly clear. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of rain showers
Thursday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to 15 knots.
A chance of showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ045-061515-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
805 AM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026

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

.TODAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to 15 knots.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots overnight. Snow showers likely
overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west and
diminishing to 10 to 15 knots. Snow showers likely in the
morning, then a chance of snow showers in the afternoon. Waves
3 to 6 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around
7 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Mainly clear. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Mainly clear. Waves 2 feet or less
building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 30 knots. A
chance of rain showers Thursday night. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to 15 knots.
A chance of showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
Waves occasionally around 6 feet.

$$