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 Fri Jan 23 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1003 AM EST Fri Jan 23 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 35 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

474
FZUS51 KBUF 231503
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1003 AM EST Fri Jan 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.

LEZ020-232200-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1003 AM EST Fri Jan 23 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...

.REST OF TODAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Partly sunny.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west.
Partly sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly cloudy.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast. Snow.
.MONDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Snow during
the day, then a chance of snow showers Monday night.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-232200-
Lower Niagara River-
1003 AM EST Fri Jan 23 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...

.REST OF TODAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow
showers late.
.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of snow showers in the morning.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Snow.
.MONDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Snow
during the day, then a chance of snow showers Monday night.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy.

$$

LEZ040-041-232200-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1003 AM EST Fri Jan 23 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.REST OF TODAY...West winds to 30 knots. Lake effect snow late
this morning, then a chance of snow showers this afternoon. The
lake is mostly ice covered.
.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.SATURDAY...West winds 10 knots or less. Partly sunny in the
morning, then becoming mostly cloudy.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
A chance of snow showers overnight.
.SUNDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Snow.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west and increasing
to 15 to 25 knots. Snow during the day, then a chance of snow
showers Monday night.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. A chance
of snow showers.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-232200-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1003 AM EST Fri Jan 23 2026

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...

.REST OF TODAY...West gales to 35 knots late this morning. Snow
showers likely late this morning, then lake effect snow this
afternoon. Waves 10 to 13 feet. Waves occasionally around
16 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
25 knots. Lake effect snow in the evening, then lake effect snow
showers likely overnight. Waves 9 to 12 feet subsiding to 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 15 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers in
the morning. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming
southeast. A chance of snow showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...East winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow. Waves 2 to 4 feet
building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west to 30 knots.
Snow during the day, then snow showers likely Monday night. Waves
4 to 7 feet building to 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around
10 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds to 30 knots becoming west 15 to
25 knots. A chance of snow showers during the day. Waves 5 to
8 feet. Waves occasionally around 10 feet.

$$

LOZ043-232200-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1003 AM EST Fri Jan 23 2026

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...

.REST OF TODAY...West gales to 35 knots. A chance of snow showers
late this morning, then lake effect snow this afternoon. Waves
10 to 15 feet. Waves occasionally around 19 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
25 knots. Lake effect snow. Waves 10 to 14 feet subsiding to 4 to
7 feet. Waves occasionally around 18 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding
to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast
10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Snow. Waves 2 to 4 feet
building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.MONDAY...Northeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west to
30 knots. Snow during the day, then snow showers likely Monday
night. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 6 to 9 feet. Waves
occasionally around 11 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds to 30 knots becoming west 15 to
25 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 5 to 8 feet. Waves
occasionally around 10 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 35 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-232200-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
1003 AM EST Fri Jan 23 2026

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...

.REST OF TODAY...West gales to 35 knots becoming northwest. Lake
effect snow showers likely late this morning, then lake effect
snow this afternoon. Waves 13 to 17 feet. Waves occasionally
around 22 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest gales to 35 knots diminishing to 15 to
20 knots. Lake effect snow in the evening, then snow showers
likely overnight. Waves 12 to 16 feet subsiding to 4 to 7 feet.
Waves occasionally around 20 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers in the morning. Waves 3 to
5 feet subsiding to 1 to 2 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Snow. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Northeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west to
30 knots. Snow during the day, then snow showers Monday night.
Waves 3 to 5 feet building to 6 to 10 feet. Waves occasionally
around 13 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds to 30 knots becoming west 15 to
25 knots. Snow showers likely. Waves 6 to 10 feet. Waves
occasionally around 13 feet.

$$

LOZ045-232200-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1003 AM EST Fri Jan 23 2026

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...

.REST OF TODAY...West gales to 35 knots. Lake effect snow. Waves
in ice free areas 11 to 16 feet. Waves in ice free areas
occasionally around 20 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest gales to 35 knots diminishing to 15 to
25 knots overnight. Snow showers likely in the evening, then a
chance of snow showers overnight. Waves 11 to 15 feet subsiding
to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 19 feet.
.SATURDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Mostly
sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...North winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast 15 to
20 knots. Snow. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...Northeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest. Snow
during the day, then snow showers Monday night. Waves 2 feet or
less building to 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around 10 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow showers likely. Waves
5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$