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 Mon May 11 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 49 degrees.

1003 AM EDT Mon May 11 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 49 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

037
FZUS51 KBUF 120203
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1003 PM EDT Mon May 11 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-LOZ030-120900-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-Lower Niagara River-
1003 PM EDT Mon May 11 2026

.OVERNIGHT...North winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds. Sunny in the morning, then
becoming partly sunny.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less increasing to 10 to
15 knots. Showers.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west.
Showers likely in the evening, then a chance of showers
overnight.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. A
chance of showers during the day.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Partly to mostly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. A chance
of showers.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 49 degrees.

$$

LEZ040-041-120900-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1003 PM EDT Mon May 11 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Northwest winds less than 10 knots becoming
northeast. Mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds. Sunny in the morning, then
becoming partly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less becoming south and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots overnight. A chance of showers in
the evening, then showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. A
chance of showers in the evening, then showers likely overnight.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
Showers likely during the day. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers.
Waves 2 feet or less.

$$

LOZ042-120900-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EDT Mon May 11 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Mainly
clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Light and variable winds becoming northeast 5 to
10 knots. Sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast.
Showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely in
the evening, then a chance of showers overnight. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of showers during the day. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest.
Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ043-120900-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1003 PM EDT Mon May 11 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Mainly clear.
Waves around 1 foot.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast.
Sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast. A
chance of showers in the evening, then showers overnight. Waves
2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
5 to 15 knots. Showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west.
Showers in the evening, then a chance of showers overnight. Waves
2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Partly to
mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Partly
to mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 49 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-120900-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EDT Mon May 11 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming
north. Mainly clear. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots becoming north.
Sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming
southeast. A chance of showers in the evening, then showers
overnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south 10 to
15 knots. Showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west.
Showers in the evening, then showers likely overnight. Waves
1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of showers during the day. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Partly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ045-120900-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EDT Mon May 11 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Northwest winds less than 10 knots becoming
north. Becoming mainly clear. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming west. Sunny.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast
10 to 15 knots. Showers overnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...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.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers in the evening, then showers likely overnight. Waves
2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers
Saturday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$