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 9 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

1013 AM EDT Thu Apr 9 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

012
FZUS51 KBUF 100214
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1014 PM EDT Thu Apr 9 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.

LEZ020-100900-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1014 PM EDT Thu Apr 9 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming
northeast. A chance of showers late.
.FRIDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. A
chance of showers in the morning, then showers in the afternoon.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...North winds less than 10 knots. A chance of rain
showers in the evening.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west.
Sunny.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. Mainly clear in the
evening, then becoming partly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. A chance of rain showers.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers
during the day, then showers likely Tuesday night.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-100900-
Lower Niagara River-
1014 PM EDT Thu Apr 9 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light
and variable. A chance of showers late.
.FRIDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming north.
Showers.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...North winds less than 10 knots becoming
northwest. A chance of rain showers in the evening.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming west.
Sunny.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. Mainly clear in the
evening, then becoming partly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. A chance of rain showers.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of showers.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers
during the day, then showers likely Tuesday night.

$$

LEZ040-041-100900-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1014 PM EDT Thu Apr 9 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming
east. A chance of showers late. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. A chance of
rain showers in the morning, then rain showers in the afternoon.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Rain showers likely in the evening, then a chance of
rain showers overnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots becoming west.
Sunny. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. Mainly clear in the
evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. A chance of rain showers. Waves
2 feet or less building to 2 to 4 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of showers during the day, then a chance of
showers and thunderstorms Monday night. Waves 3 to 5 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers and
thunderstorms during the day, then showers likely Tuesday night.
Waves 2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-100900-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1014 PM EDT Thu Apr 9 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north
less than 10 knots. A chance of rain showers late. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.FRIDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers in the morning, then rain showers in the
afternoon. Waves around 1 foot.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. A
chance of rain showers in the evening. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Sunny.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. Mainly
clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. A chance of rain showers. Waves
2 feet or less building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
25 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 4 to
7 feet, then subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around
9 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers
during the day, then showers likely Tuesday night. Waves 1 to
3 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-100900-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1014 PM EDT Thu Apr 9 2026

.OVERNIGHT...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of rain showers
in the morning, then rain showers in the afternoon. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. A
chance of rain showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Sunny.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves
2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest and
increasing to 30 knots. A chance of rain showers. Waves 1 to
3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Showers likely. Waves
3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers
during the day, then showers likely Tuesday night. Waves 1 to
3 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 39 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-100900-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1014 PM EDT Thu Apr 9 2026

.OVERNIGHT...South winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. Showers.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Mostly
sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming
southeast. Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming partly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south and
increasing to 30 knots. A chance of rain showers during the day,
then rain showers likely Sunday night. Waves 2 feet or less
building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers during the day, then showers likely
Tuesday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.

$$