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 Wed May 13 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 50 degrees.

1003 AM EDT Wed May 13 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 48 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

943
FZUS51 KBUF 140803
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 AM EDT Thu May 14 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-LOZ030-141500-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-Lower Niagara River-
403 AM EDT Thu May 14 2026

.TODAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A chance of
showers with patchy drizzle.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Patchy drizzle in
the evening.
.FRIDAY...Light and variable winds becoming southwest 5 to
10 knots. Sunny in the morning, then becoming partly sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Partly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers
during the day, then showers likely Saturday night.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming east. A chance of
showers during the day.
.MONDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Mostly
cloudy, then clearing.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 50 degrees.

$$

LEZ040-041-141500-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 AM EDT Thu May 14 2026

.TODAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 5 to
15 knots. Showers likely with patchy drizzle this morning, then a
chance of showers with patchy drizzle early this afternoon.
Patchy drizzle late. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Patchy drizzle in
the evening. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Light and variable winds becoming southwest 5 to
10 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of showers during the day, then showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms Saturday night. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
Showers likely during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 knots or less. Partly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-141500-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EDT Thu May 14 2026

.TODAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A chance of
showers early, then patchy drizzle late this morning. A chance of
showers with patchy drizzle this afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves
1 to 2 feet.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Mostly
sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Showers likely
Saturday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming east. A chance of
showers during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. Partly to
mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.

$$

LOZ043-044-141500-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 AM EDT Thu May 14 2026

.TODAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of showers early. A chance of showers with patchy drizzle
early this afternoon, then patchy drizzle late. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. A chance of showers
in the evening, then showers likely overnight. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Mostly
cloudy in the morning, then becoming mostly sunny. Waves 1 to
2 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south.
Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely Saturday night. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming east. Showers
likely during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. Partly to
mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 48 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-141500-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EDT Thu May 14 2026

.TODAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming north. A
chance of showers in the evening, then showers overnight. Waves
2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Mostly cloudy
in the morning, then becoming mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south.
Partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers likely Saturday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming east. Showers
likely during the day. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. Partly to
mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.

$$