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

1003 AM EDT Fri May 15 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 50 degrees.

1003 AM EDT Fri May 15 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 47 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

952
FZUS51 KBUF 151403
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1003 AM EDT Fri May 15 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-LOZ030-152100-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-Lower Niagara River-
1003 AM EDT Fri May 15 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...Light and variable winds becoming southwest 5 to
10 knots. Mostly sunny.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south. Partly
cloudy in the evening, then becoming mainly clear.
.SATURDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of showers in the afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to
less than 10 knots. A chance of showers.
.SUNDAY...Light and variable winds. Partly to mostly cloudy.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Becoming
mainly clear.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers
Tuesday night.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 50 degrees.

$$

LEZ040-041-152100-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1003 AM EDT Fri May 15 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Partly cloudy in the evening, then becoming mainly clear. Waves
1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of
showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south. A
chance of showers during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Mainly clear. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Waves 2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-152100-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1003 AM EDT Fri May 15 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves
1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy in the
evening, then becoming mainly clear. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers in the afternoon. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. A
chance of showers in the evening. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to
1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast. Partly
to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Partly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers
Tuesday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-152100-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1003 AM EDT Fri May 15 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west.
Mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south. Partly
cloudy in the evening, then becoming mainly clear. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.SATURDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of showers in the afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. A
chance of showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast. Partly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers and thunderstorms during the day,
then showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms Tuesday night.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Rochester is 47 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-152100-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1003 AM EDT Fri May 15 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Partly
to mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south. Partly
cloudy in the evening, then becoming mainly clear. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.SATURDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of showers in the afternoon. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of
showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
Partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. A chance
of showers Monday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of showers and thunderstorms during the day, then showers likely
with a chance of thunderstorms Tuesday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$