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 EST Mon Feb 9 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1003 AM EST Mon Feb 9 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 34 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

904
FZUS51 KBUF 092103
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 PM EST Mon Feb 9 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.

LEZ020-100400-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
403 PM EST Mon Feb 9 2026

.TONIGHT...Light and variable winds. A chance of snow showers
late.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. A
chance of snow showers in the morning.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers overnight.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers
in the morning, then lake effect snow showers likely in the
afternoon.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Snow showers
likely in the evening, then a chance of snow showers overnight.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west. A
chance of snow showers.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Partly
cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
Partly to mostly cloudy.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-100400-
Lower Niagara River-
403 PM EST Mon Feb 9 2026

.TONIGHT...Light and variable winds. A chance of snow showers
late.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming west. A
chance of freezing rain and snow showers in the morning.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers overnight.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of
snow showers in the evening.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Partly
cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
Partly to mostly cloudy.

$$

LEZ040-041-100400-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 PM EST Mon Feb 9 2026

.TONIGHT...East winds less than 10 knots. A chance of snow
showers late. The lake is mostly ice covered.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of snow showers in the morning.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Lake effect snow showers.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west. A
chance of snow showers.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Partly
cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast.
Partly to mostly cloudy.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-100400-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EST Mon Feb 9 2026

.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 10 knots or less. A chance of snow
showers late. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Snow
showers likely with a chance of freezing rain in the morning.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
25 knots. A chance of snow showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of snow showers. Waves 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally
around 10 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of
snow showers. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 9 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Partly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.

$$

LOZ043-044-100400-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 PM EST Mon Feb 9 2026

.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Snow
showers likely in the morning, then a chance of freezing rain and
snow showers in the afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
25 knots. A chance of snow showers and freezing rain in the
evening, then snow showers likely overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest. Lake
effect snow showers. Waves 5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around
11 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Lake effect
snow showers. Waves 5 to 9 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 11 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding
to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast. Partly
to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 34 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-100400-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EST Mon Feb 9 2026

.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy. Waves
in ice free areas 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. Snow
showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west
15 to 20 knots. Snow showers likely with a chance of freezing
rain in the evening, then snow showers likely overnight. Waves
1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. Snow
showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
10 to 15 knots. Snow showers likely in the evening, then a chance
of snow showers overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$