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 Tue Jan 27 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

1003 AM EST Tue Jan 27 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

625
FZUS51 KBUF 280303
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1003 PM EST Tue Jan 27 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.

LEZ020-281000-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1003 PM EST Tue Jan 27 2026

.OVERNIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Partly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers in the afternoon.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. A
chance of snow showers.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
A chance of snow showers.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 knots or less. A chance of snow showers.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming north. A
chance of snow showers.
.SUNDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Partly cloudy.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-281000-
Lower Niagara River-
1003 PM EST Tue Jan 27 2026

.OVERNIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly sunny in the
morning, then becoming mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. A
chance of snow showers overnight.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow
showers.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. A chance of snow
showers during the day, then snow showers likely Friday night.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming north. A
chance of snow showers.
.SUNDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. A chance of
snow showers during the day.

$$

LEZ040-041-281000-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1003 PM EST Tue Jan 27 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

.OVERNIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest.
A chance of snow showers. The lake is mostly ice covered.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. A
chance of snow showers in the afternoon.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
A chance of snow showers.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow showers
Friday night.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Mostly
cloudy.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-281000-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Tue Jan 27 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT...

.OVERNIGHT...West winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
25 knots. Lake effect snow showers. Waves 5 to 9 feet. Waves
occasionally around 11 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow
showers in the morning. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west.
A chance of snow showers in the evening, then lake effect snow
showers likely overnight. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. Snow
showers likely in the morning, then a chance of snow showers in
the afternoon. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of
snow showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
10 knots. Lake effect snow showers likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots. Lake effect snow showers
likely during the day, then a chance of snow showers Saturday
night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers during the day. Waves 2 to
4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.

$$

LOZ043-281000-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1003 PM EST Tue Jan 27 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT...

.OVERNIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Lake effect snow
showers. Waves 6 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of snow showers in the morning. Waves 4 to 7 feet
subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west.
A chance of snow showers in the evening, then lake effect snow
showers likely overnight. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally
around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Lake effect snow showers.
Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Lake effect
snow showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
10 knots. Lake effect snow showers likely. Waves 3 to 5 feet
subsiding to 2 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. Lake
effect snow showers likely during the day, then a chance of snow
showers Saturday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. A chance of
snow showers during the day. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 34 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-281000-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Tue Jan 27 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT...

.OVERNIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Lake effect snow
showers. Waves 6 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Lake effect snow showers.
Waves 5 to 8 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally
around 10 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west.
Lake effect snow showers likely in the evening, then lake effect
snow showers overnight. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally
around 7 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Lake effect snow showers.
Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Lake effect
snow showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
10 knots. Lake effect snow showers likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Lake effect snow showers likely during the day, then a
chance of snow showers Saturday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of snow showers during the day. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to
3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.

$$

LOZ045-281000-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EST Tue Jan 27 2026

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

.OVERNIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest.
A chance of snow showers. Waves in ice free areas 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of snow showers in the morning, then lake effect snow
showers in the afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Lake effect snow
showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of
snow showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots diminishing to less than
10 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...North winds 10 knots or less increasing to 10 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. Partly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$