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 Fri May 1 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 45 degrees.

1003 AM EDT Fri May 1 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 43 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

461
FZUS51 KBUF 012003
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 PM EDT Fri May 1 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.

LEZ020-020300-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
403 PM EDT Fri May 1 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. A chance of rain
showers early.
.SATURDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. A
chance of rain showers in the afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds less than 10 knots. A chance of rain
showers in the evening.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of
showers.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. Showers
likely.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers likely during
the day, then a chance of showers Wednesday night.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 45 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-020300-
Lower Niagara River-
403 PM EDT Fri May 1 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west. A
chance of rain showers early.
.SATURDAY...West winds 10 knots or less. A chance of rain showers
in the afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds less than 10 knots. A chance of rain
showers in the evening.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Partly to mostly sunny.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of
showers.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 5 to
15 knots. Showers likely.
.WEDNESDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest.
Showers likely during the day, then a chance of showers Wednesday
night.

$$

LEZ040-020300-
Ripley to Dunkirk along Lake Erie-
403 PM EDT Fri May 1 2026

.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. Mostly
cloudy this evening, then clearing. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west.
Mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less. Becoming mainly
clear. Waves around 1 foot.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves
2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of
showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers during the day, then a chance of
showers and thunderstorms Monday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 2 to 4 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northeast 5 to
15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
2 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north.
Showers likely during the day, then a chance of showers Wednesday
night. Waves 1 to 2 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LEZ041-020300-
Dunkirk to Buffalo along Lake Erie-
403 PM EDT Fri May 1 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds less than 10 knots becoming northwest.
Mostly cloudy this evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west.
Mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less. Becoming mainly
clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of
showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers during the day, then a chance of
showers and thunderstorms Monday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 2 to 4 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 5 to
15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming north.
Showers likely during the day, then a chance of showers Wednesday
night. Waves 1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-020300-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EDT Fri May 1 2026

.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers early. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Sunny. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Becoming mainly
clear. Waves around 1 foot.
.SUNDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of
showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of showers.
Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally
around 6 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest and
diminishing to 10 to 15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 3 to 5 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Showers
likely during the day, then a chance of showers Wednesday night.
Waves 1 to 2 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-020300-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 PM EDT Fri May 1 2026

.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less. A chance of rain showers
this evening. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 to
2 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Mainly clear. Waves
1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Sunny. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to
15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south. A chance
of showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 43 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-020300-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EDT Fri May 1 2026

.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of rain showers this evening. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Becoming
mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest.
Partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Sunny.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south
15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building
to 2 to 4 feet.
.MONDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers. Waves
2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.

$$