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

1011 AM EDT Mon Mar 23 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1011 AM EDT Mon Mar 23 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

872
FZUS51 KBUF 231412
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1011 AM EDT Mon Mar 23 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.

LEZ020-232100-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1011 AM EDT Mon Mar 23 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of snow showers.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. A chance of snow showers in the evening.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny in the morning, then becoming partly
sunny.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of rain showers Wednesday night.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers during the day, then rain showers likely
with a chance of snow showers Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of rain and snow showers during the day.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-232100-
Lower Niagara River-
1011 AM EDT Mon Mar 23 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of snow showers.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less than
10 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny in the morning, then becoming partly
sunny.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. A
chance of rain showers Wednesday night.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers during the day, then rain showers likely
with a chance of snow showers Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of rain and snow showers during the day.

$$

LEZ040-041-232100-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1011 AM EDT Mon Mar 23 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of snow showers, then snow showers likely late. Waves in
ice free areas 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less than
10 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening. Waves 1 to
3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds becoming west 10 to 15 knots.
Partly to mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of rain showers Wednesday night. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers during the day, then rain showers likely
with a chance of snow showers Thursday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 5 to
15 knots. A chance of rain and snow showers during the day. Waves
2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$

LOZ042-232100-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1011 AM EDT Mon Mar 23 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of snow showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening. Waves 2 to
4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet, then subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Partly to mostly sunny. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of rain showers Wednesday night. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest
15 to 20 knots. A chance of rain showers during the day, then
rain showers likely with a chance of snow showers Thursday night.
Waves 2 feet or less building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally
around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of rain and snow showers during the day. Waves 3 to 6 feet
subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-232100-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1011 AM EDT Mon Mar 23 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EDT...

.THIS AFTERNOON...North 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.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening. Waves 2 to
4 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Partly to
mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of rain showers
Wednesday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. A chance of rain showers during the
day, then rain showers likely with a chance of snow showers
Thursday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves
occasionally around 9 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of rain and snow showers during the day. Waves 4 to 7 feet
subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 38 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-232100-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1011 AM EDT Mon Mar 23 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Mostly cloudy. Waves in ice free areas 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. Mostly
cloudy in the evening, then clearing. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Mostly
sunny in the morning, then becoming partly sunny. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of rain showers
Wednesday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. A chance of rain showers during the
day, then rain and snow showers likely Thursday night. Waves 1 to
3 feet building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of rain and snow
showers during the day. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$