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

1013 AM EDT Thu Apr 2 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1013 AM EDT Thu Apr 2 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

424
FZUS51 KBUF 021413
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1013 AM EDT Thu Apr 2 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.

LEZ020-022100-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1013 AM EDT Thu Apr 2 2026

.REST OF TODAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A
chance of rain showers late this morning, then rain showers
likely early this afternoon. A chance of rain showers late.
.TONIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers in the evening, then showers likely
overnight.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northeast less
than 10 knots. A chance of rain showers overnight.
.SATURDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Rain showers.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Rain showers likely during the day.
.MONDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. A
chance of snow showers Monday night.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-022100-
Lower Niagara River-
1013 AM EDT Thu Apr 2 2026

.REST OF TODAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of rain
showers late this morning, then rain showers likely early this
afternoon. A chance of rain showers late.
.TONIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers in the evening, then showers
overnight.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. A chance
of showers in the morning.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast less
than 10 knots. Partly cloudy in the evening, then becoming mostly
cloudy.
.SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Rain
showers.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Rain showers likely during
the day.
.MONDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. Mostly
cloudy.

$$

LEZ041-022100-
Dunkirk to Buffalo along Lake Erie-
1013 AM EDT Thu Apr 2 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM EDT THIS MORNING...

.REST OF TODAY...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
5 to 10 knots. A chance of rain showers late this morning, then
rain showers likely early this afternoon. A chance of rain
showers late. The lake is mostly ice covered.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers in the evening,
then showers likely overnight.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely in the morning, then a chance of showers in the afternoon.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast
less than 10 knots. A chance of rain showers.
.SATURDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest
and increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Rain showers.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. Rain
showers likely during the day.
.MONDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest less than
10 knots. A chance of snow showers Monday night.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LEZ040-022100-
Ripley to Dunkirk along Lake Erie-
1013 AM EDT Thu Apr 2 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM EDT THIS MORNING...

.REST OF TODAY...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
5 to 10 knots. Rain showers likely, then a chance of rain showers
late. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers in the evening, then showers likely
with a chance of thunderstorms overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Showers likely in the morning, then a chance of showers
in the afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast
less than 10 knots. A chance of rain showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest
15 to 20 knots. Rain showers with a chance of thunderstorms.
Waves 2 feet or less building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Rain showers likely during
the day. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.MONDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-022100-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1013 AM EDT Thu Apr 2 2026

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

.REST OF TODAY...East winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of rain
showers late this morning, then rain showers likely early this
afternoon. A chance of rain showers late. Waves 4 to 7 feet.
Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.TONIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of showers in the evening, then showers overnight. Waves 3 to
6 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around
7 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. A chance
of showers in the morning. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northeast 5 to
15 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. Rain
showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Rain showers likely during
the day. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves
occasionally around 9 feet.
.MONDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming north and
diminishing to 10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 4 to 7 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.

$$

LOZ043-022100-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1013 AM EDT Thu Apr 2 2026

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

.REST OF TODAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Rain showers likely
early this afternoon. A chance of rain showers late. Waves 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TONIGHT...East winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south. A chance of
showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. A chance of
showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 5 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest
15 to 20 knots. Rain showers likely during the day, then rain
showers Saturday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Rain showers during the day.
Waves 3 to 5 feet building to 6 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally
around 11 feet.
.MONDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 6 to 9 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 39 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-022100-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
1013 AM EDT Thu Apr 2 2026

.REST OF TODAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of rain showers, then rain showers likely
late. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south to
30 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds to 30 knots becoming southwest 15 to
25 knots. Showers likely. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north and
diminishing to less than 10 knots overnight. Mostly cloudy. Waves
3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Rain showers likely during the day,
then rain showers with a chance of thunderstorms Saturday night.
Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west and
increasing to 30 knots. Rain showers during the day. Waves 3 to
6 feet building to 6 to 10 feet. Waves occasionally around
13 feet.
.MONDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming north 15 to
20 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 6 to 9 feet subsiding to 2 to
3 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ045-022100-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1013 AM EDT Thu Apr 2 2026

.REST OF TODAY...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming east. A
chance of rain showers early this afternoon. Rain showers likely
late. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...East winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south to 30 knots.
Showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves
occasionally around 9 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds to 30 knots becoming southwest 15 to
25 knots. Showers in the morning, then showers likely in the
afternoon. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 9 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 5 to
15 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south and
increasing to 30 knots. Rain showers likely during the day, then
rain showers with a chance of thunderstorms Saturday night. Waves
2 feet or less building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around
7 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. Rain
showers during the day. Waves 4 to 7 feet building to 6 to
10 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.MONDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming north and
diminishing to 10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 6 to 9 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$