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

403 AM EST Sun Jan 25 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

403 AM EST Sun Jan 25 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

249
FZUS51 KBUF 251503
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1003 AM EST Sun Jan 25 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.

LEZ020-252200-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1003 AM EST Sun Jan 25 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Snow.
.TONIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Snow.
.MONDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Snow.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of snow showers.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. Lake effect snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west. A
chance of snow showers.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow
showers Thursday night.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-252200-
Lower Niagara River-
1003 AM EST Sun Jan 25 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Snow.
.TONIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast. Snow.
.MONDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Snow.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of snow showers.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Lake effect snow showers likely.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Mostly
cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow
showers Thursday night.

$$

LEZ040-041-252200-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1003 AM EST Sun Jan 25 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Snow. The lake is
mostly ice covered.
.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. Snow.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. Snow.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of snow showers.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. Lake
effect snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of snow showers.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-252200-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1003 AM EST Sun Jan 25 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING...

.THIS AFTERNOON...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Snow. Waves 2 to
4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TONIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northeast 10 to
15 knots. Snow. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Snow. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest
to 30 knots. Lake effect snow in the evening. Waves 3 to 6 feet
building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds to 30 knots becoming west 15 to
25 knots. Snow showers likely. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to
3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Snow showers likely during the day, then a chance of
snow showers Wednesday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to
3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.

$$

LOZ043-252200-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1003 AM EST Sun Jan 25 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING...

.THIS AFTERNOON...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Snow. Waves 2 to
4 feet.
.TONIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Snow. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Snow. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to
3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west.
Lake effect snow. Waves 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around
10 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. A chance
of snow showers during the day, then lake effect snow showers
likely Tuesday night. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet.
Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Snow showers likely during the day, then a chance of
snow showers Wednesday night. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to
3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 33 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-252200-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
1003 AM EST Sun Jan 25 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Snow. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.TONIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northeast 10 to
15 knots. Snow. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Snow. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to
3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west.
Lake effect snow. Waves 5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around
11 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. Lake
effect snow showers. Waves 6 to 9 feet subsiding to 4 to 7 feet.
Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Snow showers likely.
Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally
around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Snow showers likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to
6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.

$$

LOZ045-252200-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1003 AM EST Sun Jan 25 2026

.THIS AFTERNOON...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Snow. Waves in ice
free areas 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Snow. Waves 1 foot or
less.
.MONDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Snow. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. A
chance of snow showers in the evening, then lake effect snow
overnight. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves
occasionally around 9 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Lake effect snow showers. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding
to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. Snow
showers likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.THURSDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves
1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$