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 Thu May 7 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 48 degrees.

1003 AM EDT Thu May 7 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 46 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

975
FZUS51 KBUF 080203
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1003 PM EDT Thu May 7 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-LOZ030-080900-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-Lower Niagara River-
1003 PM EDT Thu May 7 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. A chance of
rain showers late this evening.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. Partly
to mostly sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Partly to mostly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of showers in the afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west.
Showers likely.
.SUNDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and variable.
Partly cloudy.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Partly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots. A chance of rain
showers Tuesday night.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 48 degrees.

$$

LEZ040-041-080900-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1003 PM EDT Thu May 7 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming
southwest. A chance of rain showers late this evening. A chance
of rain showers late. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of rain showers
in the morning. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
A chance of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west.
Showers likely. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. Partly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Partly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots becoming southeast.
A chance of rain showers Tuesday night. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ042-043-080900-
Niagara River to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1003 PM EDT Thu May 7 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Rain showers likely
late this evening, then a chance of rain showers after midnight.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. Partly
sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot or
less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers in the
afternoon. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west.
Showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest less than
10 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or
less.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Becoming mainly clear.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Mainly clear, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 46 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-045-080900-
Sodus Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EDT Thu May 7 2026

.REST OF TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of rain
showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Becoming
mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south.
Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves
2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers. Waves
2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest
15 to 20 knots. Showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to
2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to 15 knots.
Showers likely during the day. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to
1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Partly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south less than
10 knots. Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet
or less.

$$