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 Sun Feb 22 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1003 AM EST Sun Feb 22 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 36 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

965
FZUS51 KBUF 222103
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 PM EST Sun Feb 22 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.

LEZ020-230400-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
403 PM EST Sun Feb 22 2026

.TONIGHT...North winds 10 knots or less. Snow.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Snow.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Snow likely in
the evening, then a chance of snow showers overnight.
.TUESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of snow showers in the morning.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. Snow.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Snow
during the day, then a chance of snow showers Wednesday night.
.THURSDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. Snow
likely.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Partly to
mostly cloudy.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-230400-
Lower Niagara River-
403 PM EST Sun Feb 22 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming north 10 to
15 knots. Snow.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Snow.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of snow showers in the morning.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Snow.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Snow
during the day.
.THURSDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. Snow
likely.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Partly to
mostly cloudy.

$$

LEZ040-041-230400-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 PM EST Sun Feb 22 2026

.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Snow. The
lake is mostly ice covered.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Snow.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
10 to 15 knots. Snow likely.
.TUESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of snow showers in the morning.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Snow.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west and
diminishing to 5 to 10 knots. Snow during the day, then a chance
of snow showers Wednesday night.
.THURSDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. Snow
likely.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to 20 knots.
Partly cloudy.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-230400-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EST Sun Feb 22 2026

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

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Snow. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest. Snow.
Waves 3 to 5 feet building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally
around 9 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow. Waves 5 to
8 feet subsiding to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
10 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest 5 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding
to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Snow. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. Snow during the day, then a chance of snow showers
Wednesday night. Waves 3 to 5 feet building to 4 to 7 feet, then
subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming north. Snow
likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-230400-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 PM EST Sun Feb 22 2026

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

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Snow. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots. Snow. Waves 3 to 6 feet.
Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest.
Snow. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Snow showers likely. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to
2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south
15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening, then
snow overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. Snow
during the day, then a chance of snow showers Wednesday night.
Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally
around 11 feet.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming north. Snow
likely. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 36 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-230400-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EST Sun Feb 22 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH
LATE MONDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves in ice free areas 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers in
the morning. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest
10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Mostly
cloudy in the morning, then becoming partly sunny. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast
15 to 20 knots. Snow likely overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. Snow
during the day, then a chance of snow showers Wednesday night.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. A
chance of snow. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south and increasing
to 15 to 25 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$