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 Fri Feb 20 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1003 AM EST Fri Feb 20 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

620
FZUS51 KBUF 210903
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 AM EST Sat Feb 21 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.

LEZ020-211600-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
403 AM EST Sat Feb 21 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST THIS MORNING...

.TODAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers through early afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south. A
chance of snow showers overnight.
.SUNDAY...South winds less than 10 knots becoming north. Snow.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...North winds 10 knots or less. Snow.
.MONDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Snow
showers.
.TUESDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming south. A chance
of snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Snow
and rain showers likely.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-211600-
Lower Niagara River-
403 AM EST Sat Feb 21 2026

.TODAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow showers
through early afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south. A
chance of snow showers overnight.
.SUNDAY...South winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast. Snow
likely.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming north.
Snow.
.MONDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Snow
showers likely.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south. A
chance of snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Snow
and rain showers likely.

$$

LEZ040-041-211600-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 AM EST Sat Feb 21 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST THIS MORNING...

.TODAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow showers
through early afternoon. The lake is mostly ice covered.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. A chance of snow
showers overnight.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west. Snow.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming north.
Snow.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Snow
showers.
.TUESDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. A chance of
snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. Snow
and rain showers likely during the day, then rain showers, snow
showers and freezing rain likely Wednesday night.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-211600-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EST Sat Feb 21 2026

.TODAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southeast. Snow
showers likely this morning, then a chance of snow showers this
afternoon. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast. Snow.
Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots. Snow. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Snow showers likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 4 to
7 feet, then subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around
9 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south 5 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding
to 2 feet or less. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. Snow and
rain showers likely. Waves 2 feet or less building to 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-211600-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 AM EST Sat Feb 21 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING...

.TODAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Snow
showers likely through early afternoon, then a chance of snow
showers late. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast. A
chance of snow showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. Snow
likely. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Snow
likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest. Snow
showers likely. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around
7 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south 10 to
15 knots. Snow showers likely during the day, then a chance of
snow showers Tuesday night. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Snow and rain showers likely. Waves 2 feet or less
building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 36 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-211600-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EST Sat Feb 21 2026

.TODAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. A chance
of snow showers through early afternoon. Waves in ice free areas
3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves in ice free areas
occasionally around 6 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east. A
chance of snow showers overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Snow likely. Waves 1 foot or
less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Snow
likely. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of snow showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast. A
chance of snow showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest
and increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Snow showers likely during the
day, then snow and rain showers likely Wednesday night. Waves
1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around
7 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$