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

1009 AM EDT Sun May 3 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 46 degrees.

1009 AM EDT Sun May 3 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 44 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

864
FZUS51 KBUF 032003
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 PM EDT Sun May 3 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.

LEZ020-040300-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
403 PM EDT Sun May 3 2026

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

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers
early.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of
showers.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers in
the morning, then showers in the afternoon.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. Rain.
.WEDNESDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Rain during the day.
.THURSDAY...Light and variable winds. A chance of rain showers.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. A
chance of rain showers.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 46 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-040300-
Lower Niagara River-
403 PM EDT Sun May 3 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers
early.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Mostly sunny.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of
showers.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. A chance
of showers in the morning, then showers in the afternoon.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north.
Rain.
.WEDNESDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Rain during the day.
.THURSDAY...Light and variable winds. Mostly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. A
chance of showers.

$$

LEZ040-041-040300-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 PM EDT Sun May 3 2026

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

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves
3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of
showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers in
the morning, then showers with a chance of thunderstorms in the
afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming
northeast. Rain with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening,
then rain overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or
less.
.WEDNESDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Rain during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming west. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest less than
10 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-040300-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EDT Sun May 3 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers
early. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of
showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. A chance
of showers in the morning, then showers in the afternoon. Waves
2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north.
Rain. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Rain during the day.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Partly to
mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.

$$

LOZ043-044-040300-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 PM EDT Sun May 3 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers this evening. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Becoming mostly sunny.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to
15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers overnight. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. A chance of showers in the morning, then showers likely
with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
Rain with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then rain
overnight. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Rain
during the day. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Partly
to mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less building to 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest 5 to
15 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 44 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-040300-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EDT Sun May 3 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of showers in the morning. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers overnight. Waves 2 feet or less
building to 2 to 4 feet.
.TUESDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. A chance of showers in the morning, then showers with a
chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west.
Rain with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then rain
overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Rain
during the day. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest and
diminishing to 5 to 10 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$