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

1002 AM EDT Sat May 16 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 50 degrees.

1002 AM EDT Sat May 16 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

067
FZUS51 KBUF 162003
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 PM EDT Sat May 16 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-LOZ030-170300-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-Lower Niagara River-
403 PM EDT Sat May 16 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less than
10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. Partly to mostly
sunny.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...South winds less than 10 knots. Partly to mostly
cloudy.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Becoming mostly sunny.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly cloudy in
the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms Tuesday
night.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north.
Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms during the day.
.THURSDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Partly to mostly cloudy.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 50 degrees.

$$

LEZ040-041-170300-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 PM EDT Sat May 16 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Patchy fog after
midnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west. Patchy
fog in the morning. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds becoming south 5 to
10 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Sunny.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 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.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north.
Showers likely during the day. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-170300-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EDT Sat May 16 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast. Partly
to mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less. A chance of showers.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers in the morning. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of showers
and thunderstorms Tuesday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to
2 to 4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. A chance of showers and thunderstorms during the day.
Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.THURSDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less than
10 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to
1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ043-044-170300-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 PM EDT Sat May 16 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms early. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Partly to
mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast. A
chance of showers overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of showers in the morning. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of
showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of showers and thunderstorms during the day. Waves 2 to
4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north less
than 10 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Rochester is 47 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-170300-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EDT Sat May 16 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms early. Patchy fog late. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Patchy fog in the
morning. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. Becoming
mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 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.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms during the day.
Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet, then subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less than
10 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to
1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$