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 Sat Apr 18 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 42 degrees.

1012 AM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 41 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

781
FZUS51 KBUF 190322
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1122 PM EDT Sat Apr 18 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.

LEZ020-190915-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1122 PM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers late this evening, then rain showers
likely after midnight. A chance of rain showers late.
.SUNDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of rain showers in
the afternoon.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of rain and snow showers in the evening.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Partly to
mostly sunny.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds less than 10 knots. Becoming mainly
clear.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Partly
to mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Partly cloudy, then becoming mainly clear.
.THURSDAY...South winds less than 10 knots becoming southeast.
Partly cloudy.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 42 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-190915-
Lower Niagara River-
1122 PM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of
rain showers late this evening, then rain showers likely after
midnight. A chance of rain showers late.
.SUNDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of rain showers in
the afternoon.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers in the evening.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly sunny.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. Becoming
mainly clear.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Partly to
mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Becoming mainly clear.
.THURSDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Partly cloudy.

$$

LEZ040-041-190915-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1122 PM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM EDT SUNDAY...

.REST OF TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Rain showers likely
late this evening, then a chance of rain showers late. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
A chance of rain and snow showers in the afternoon. Waves 1 to
3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of snow and rain showers in the evening, then a chance of
snow showers overnight. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Partly to
mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of rain showers Tuesday night. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Mostly cloudy, then clearing. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Light and variable winds. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.

$$

LOZ042-190915-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1122 PM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of
rain showers late this evening, then a chance of rain and snow
showers late. Waves 2 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
A chance of rain showers in the afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers in the evening. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Mostly
sunny. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest
10 knots or less. Mainly clear. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to
1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Becoming mainly
clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ043-190915-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1122 PM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY EVENING THROUGH
MONDAY AFTERNOON...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
10 to 15 knots. A chance of rain showers late this evening, then
rain showers likely after midnight. Rain showers with a chance of
snow showers late. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. Rain and snow showers likely in the morning. Waves 1 to
3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of rain
showers in the evening. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Becoming mostly sunny. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to
2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Mainly clear. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less
than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy, then clearing. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.THURSDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 41 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-190915-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
1122 PM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
MONDAY AFTERNOON...

.REST OF TONIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Rain showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. Rain and snow showers likely in the morning. Waves 2 to
4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves
3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Becoming mostly sunny. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to
2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Mainly clear. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 2 feet.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy, then
becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest less
than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy, then clearing. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ045-190915-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1122 PM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
MONDAY AFTERNOON...

.REST OF TONIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Rain showers. Waves
1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
Rain and snow showers in the morning. Waves 1 to 3 feet building
to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest.
Partly cloudy. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Partly to
mostly sunny. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Becoming mainly clear.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north less
than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy, then clearing. Waves 1 foot or
less.
.THURSDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$