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

1012 AM EDT Sun Apr 12 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 36 degrees.

1012 AM EDT Sun Apr 12 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 40 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

578
FZUS51 KBUF 121412
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1012 AM EDT Sun Apr 12 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.

LEZ020-122100-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1012 AM EDT Sun Apr 12 2026

.REST OF TODAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less. A chance of
showers.
.TONIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of showers overnight.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Showers.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers in the evening, then showers
likely overnight.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers likely.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 36 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-122100-
Lower Niagara River-
1012 AM EDT Sun Apr 12 2026

.REST OF TODAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less. A chance of
showers late this morning, then showers likely this afternoon.
.TONIGHT...South winds less than 10 knots becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Showers.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of
showers in the evening, then showers likely overnight.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LEZ040-041-122100-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1012 AM EDT Sun Apr 12 2026

.REST OF TODAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of
showers this afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 2 to 4 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Showers. Waves 2 to
4 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south and
diminishing to 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers in the evening,
then showers likely overnight. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely. Waves
2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-122100-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1012 AM EDT Sun Apr 12 2026

.REST OF TODAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers
late this morning, then showers likely this afternoon. Waves
2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 1 to
3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Showers. Waves 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
10 to 15 knots. Showers likely overnight. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms. Waves
1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet, then subsiding to 1 to
2 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms during the day, then showers likely
Wednesday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ044-122100-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
1012 AM EDT Sun Apr 12 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING
THROUGH MONDAY EVENING...

.REST OF TODAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of
showers early this afternoon. Showers likely late. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south. Showers
likely in the evening. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.MONDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south less
than 10 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding
to 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Showers
with a chance of thunderstorms. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Showers likely.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ043-122100-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1012 AM EDT Sun Apr 12 2026

.REST OF TODAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of
showers early this afternoon. Showers likely late. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest
15 to 20 knots. Showers likely in the evening. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Showers. Waves 1 to
3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to
5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding
to 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms. Waves 1 foot or less
building to 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Showers likely with a
chance of thunderstorms. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Showers
likely. Waves 2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Rochester is 40 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-122100-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1012 AM EDT Sun Apr 12 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING
THROUGH MONDAY EVENING...

.REST OF TODAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast. A
chance of rain showers early this afternoon. Rain showers likely
late. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south. Showers
in the evening, then a chance of showers overnight. Waves 1 to
3 feet building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.MONDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. Showers.
Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south and
diminishing to less than 10 knots overnight. Showers likely in
the evening, then a chance of showers overnight. Waves 3 to
5 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Showers
with a chance of thunderstorms. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south.
Showers likely. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$