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 Wed May 20 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 55 degrees.

1003 AM EDT Wed May 20 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 50 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

771
FZUS51 KBUF 210804
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
404 AM EDT Thu May 21 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-LOZ030-211500-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-Lower Niagara River-
404 AM EDT Thu May 21 2026

.TODAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Becoming mostly sunny.
.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east. Mainly
clear.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Partly to
mostly sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely
overnight.
.SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast. Showers.
.SUNDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and variable.
A chance of showers.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds. A chance of showers during
the day.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 55 degrees.

$$

LEZ040-041-211500-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
404 AM EDT Thu May 21 2026

.TODAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Mostly cloudy this morning, then becoming mostly sunny.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east. Mainly
clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 to
3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Partly to
mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers overnight.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south.
Showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming light and variable.
A chance of showers during the day, then showers likely Sunday
night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. Showers likely
during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ042-211500-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
404 AM EDT Thu May 21 2026

.TODAY...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming east 5 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less. Partly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
Partly to mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of showers overnight. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...East winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southeast.
Showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest less
than 10 knots. Showers likely during the day, then a chance of
showers Sunday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or
less.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. A chance of showers
during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ043-044-211500-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
404 AM EDT Thu May 21 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM EDT THIS MORNING...

.TODAY...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. Becoming mostly sunny. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.TONIGHT...North winds 10 knots or less becoming east. Mainly
clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Partly to
mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming east. A
chance of showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots. Showers. Waves 1 to
3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south and
diminishing to 10 to 15 knots. Showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and variable.
Showers likely during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 53 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-211500-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
404 AM EDT Thu May 21 2026

.TODAY...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 5 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or
less.
.TONIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast. Mainly
clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. Mostly sunny.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southeast and
increasing to 30 knots. Showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to
3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds to 30 knots becoming south and
diminishing to 15 to 20 knots. Showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Showers likely during the day. Waves 2 feet or less.

$$