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 2 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1003 AM EST Mon Feb 2 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

803
FZUS51 KBUF 030303
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1003 PM EST Mon Feb 2 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.

LEZ020-031000-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1003 PM EST Mon Feb 2 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of
snow showers.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. A chance
of snow showers.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 knots or less. Partly sunny.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers during the day, then a chance
of snow Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest.
Snow.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Mostly
cloudy.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-031000-
Lower Niagara River-
1003 PM EST Mon Feb 2 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Mostly
cloudy.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. A chance
of snow showers in the afternoon.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west.
Partly sunny.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow
showers overnight.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of snow showers during the day, then a chance of snow Thursday
night.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Snow during the day, then a chance of snow Friday
night.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.

$$

LEZ040-041-031000-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1003 PM EST Mon Feb 2 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of
snow showers. The lake is mostly ice covered.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. A chance
of snow showers.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly to mostly
cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly sunny.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest.
Snow.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Mostly
cloudy.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-031000-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Mon Feb 2 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to
3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest
10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. A
chance of snow showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
A chance of snow showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow showers during the
day, then a chance of snow Thursday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest to
30 knots. Snow. Waves 3 to 5 feet building to 7 to 11 feet. Waves
occasionally around 14 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves
5 to 8 feet subsiding to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
10 feet.

$$

LOZ043-031000-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1003 PM EST Mon Feb 2 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers in the afternoon. Waves 2 feet
or less building to 2 to 4 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding
to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. A
chance of snow showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
A chance of snow showers in the evening, then lake effect snow
showers likely overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest
15 to 20 knots. Snow showers likely during the day, then a chance
of snow Thursday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 30 knots. Snow. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 9 to
12 feet. Waves occasionally around 15 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
20 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 6 to 10 feet subsiding to 4 to
7 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 34 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-031000-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Mon Feb 2 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers in the afternoon. Waves 1 to
3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest
10 to 15 knots. Lake effect snow showers likely. Waves 3 to
5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Snow
showers likely in the morning, then a chance of snow showers in
the afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
A chance of snow showers in the evening, then lake effect snow
showers likely overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Lake effect snow showers likely during the day, then a chance of
snow Thursday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 30 knots. Snow. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 8 to
11 feet. Waves occasionally around 14 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
20 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 6 to 9 feet subsiding to 3 to
6 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.

$$

LOZ045-031000-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Mon Feb 2 2026

.OVERNIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers late. Waves in ice free areas 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Lake
effect snow showers likely. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Lake effect snow
showers likely. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Snow showers likely in the
morning, then a chance of snow showers in the afternoon. Waves
1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of snow showers overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers during the day, then a chance
of snow Thursday night. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 35 knot gales. Snow. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers during the day. Waves 1 foot
or less.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$