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 Mon Feb 23 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1003 AM EST Mon Feb 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

815
FZUS51 KBUF 232103
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 PM EST Mon Feb 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.

LEZ020-240400-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
403 PM EST Mon Feb 23 2026

.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Snow this evening,
then a chance of snow showers after midnight.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest.
Partly sunny.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest
15 to 20 knots. Snow.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. Snow
in the morning, then a chance of snow showers in the afternoon.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers in the evening.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north. A chance
of snow.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of snow showers Saturday night.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-240400-
Lower Niagara River-
403 PM EST Mon Feb 23 2026

.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Snow likely early, then a chance of snow showers from
late evening on.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest.
Mostly cloudy in the morning, then becoming partly sunny.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Snow.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. Snow in the morning, then a chance of snow showers in
the afternoon.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north. A chance
of snow.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Partly
cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of snow showers Saturday night.

$$

LEZ040-041-240400-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 PM EST Mon Feb 23 2026

.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Snow this evening, then a chance of snow showers after
midnight. The lake is mostly ice covered.
.TUESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Partly to
mostly sunny.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots overnight. Snow.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. Snow
in the morning, then a chance of snow showers in the afternoon.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
A chance of snow.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
25 knots. Partly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers Saturday night.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-240400-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EST Mon Feb 23 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow. Waves 4 to
7 feet subsiding to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
9 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest 5 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers in the morning. Waves 2 to
4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots overnight. Snow. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 2 to 4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west to
30 knots. Snow in the morning, then a chance of snow showers in
the afternoon. Waves 3 to 5 feet building to 6 to 9 feet. Waves
occasionally around 11 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 5 to 9 feet subsiding to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 11 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. A chance of
snow. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 2 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest and
increasing to 30 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to
3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of snow showers Saturday night. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-240400-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 PM EST Mon Feb 23 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow. Waves 4 to
7 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around
9 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Snow showers likely in the morning, then a chance of
snow showers in the afternoon. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening, then snow
overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. Snow in
the morning, then a chance of snow showers in the afternoon.
Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 6 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally
around 11 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow showers
likely. Waves 6 to 10 feet subsiding to 5 to 8 feet. Waves
occasionally around 13 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. A chance of
snow. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south and increasing
to 15 to 20 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of snow showers Saturday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet building
to 4 to 7 feet, then subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally
around 9 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 35 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-240400-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EST Mon Feb 23 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EST TUESDAY...

.TONIGHT...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves in ice free areas 3 to 5 feet
subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves in ice free areas occasionally
around 6 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Partly
sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
25 knots. Snow overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. Snow.
Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 6 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally
around 11 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow showers
likely. Waves 5 to 9 feet subsiding to 4 to 7 feet. Waves
occasionally around 11 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. A chance
of snow. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south and
increasing to 30 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less
building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds to 30 knots becoming northwest and
diminishing to 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers Saturday
night. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 4 to 7 feet, then subsiding
to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$