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

1012 AM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

1012 AM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 39 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

057
FZUS51 KBUF 062012
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
411 PM EDT Mon Apr 6 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.

LEZ020-070300-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
411 PM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds less than 10 knots becoming west and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots after midnight. A chance of rain and
snow showers early, then rain and snow showers. Snow showers
likely late.
.TUESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers in the morning.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. Mainly
clear.
.WEDNESDAY...Light and variable winds. Sunny.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less increasing to
10 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers
Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. A chance of rain
showers during the day.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-070300-
Lower Niagara River-
411 PM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026

.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of rain and snow showers early, then rain and
snow showers from late evening on.
.TUESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers in the morning.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Mainly clear.
.WEDNESDAY...Light and variable winds becoming southeast 5 to
10 knots. Sunny.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming
south 10 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. A chance of showers Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. A chance of rain
showers during the day.

$$

LEZ040-041-070300-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
411 PM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM EDT TUESDAY THROUGH
TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Snow and rain showers this evening,
then a chance of snow showers after midnight. Waves 2 feet or
less building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers in the morning. Waves 3 to
6 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around
7 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southeast winds less than 10 knots. Sunny. Waves
1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...North winds less than 10 knots. A chance of rain
showers during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ042-070300-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
411 PM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM EDT TUESDAY THROUGH
TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. A chance of rain and snow showers
early, then snow and rain showers from late evening on. Waves
2 feet or less building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds to 30 knots becoming northwest and
diminishing to 15 to 20 knots. Snow showers likely in the
morning. Waves 5 to 8 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 10 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming
southeast and diminishing to 10 knots or less overnight. Mainly
clear. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of showers Thursday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to
2 to 4 feet, then subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast.
A chance of rain showers during the day. Waves 2 feet or less.

$$

LOZ043-070300-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
411 PM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
TUESDAY EVENING...

.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers late this evening. Snow
showers after midnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest. Snow
showers likely in the morning, then a chance of snow showers in
the afternoon. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 4 to 7 feet, then
subsiding to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to less
than 10 knots overnight. Becoming mainly clear. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming east. Sunny.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south
15 to 20 knots. Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming partly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south 10 knots
or less. A chance of rain showers during the day. Waves 1 to
3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 39 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-070300-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
411 PM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026

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

.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Snow and
rain showers likely after midnight. Snow showers late. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow showers likely in
the morning, then a chance of snow showers in the afternoon.
Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 4 to 7 feet, then subsiding to 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to less
than 10 knots. Becoming mainly clear. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding
to 1 to 2 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
Sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south
15 to 20 knots. Mainly clear. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west 10 knots or
less. A chance of showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast less
than 10 knots. A chance of rain showers during the day. Waves
1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ045-070300-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
411 PM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026

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

.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. A chance
of snow showers after midnight. Snow showers late. Waves 1 to
3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest and
diminishing to 10 to 15 knots. Snow showers in the morning, then
a chance of snow showers in the afternoon. Waves 2 feet or less
building to 3 to 6 feet, then subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less
than 10 knots. Mainly clear. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south
and increasing to 15 to 25 knots overnight. Mainly clear in the
evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less
building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest and
diminishing to 10 knots or less. A chance of rain showers. Waves
1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming east. A
chance of rain showers during the day. Waves 2 feet or less.

$$