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

1005 AM EST Sun Dec 28 2025 The water temperature off Buffalo is 36 degrees.

1005 AM EST Sun Dec 28 2025 The water temperature off Rochester is 37 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

108
FZUS51 KBUF 290903
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 AM EST Mon Dec 29 2025

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-LOZ030-291600-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-Lower Niagara River-
403 AM EST Mon Dec 29 2025

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EST THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS
EVENING...

.TODAY...Southwest gales to 40 knots diminishing to 35 knots. A
chance of rain and snow showers early, then lake effect snow
showers from late morning on. Visibility one quarter mile or less
at times late.
.TONIGHT...West gales to 35 knots diminishing to 30 knots
overnight. Lake effect snow showers. Visibility one quarter mile
or less at times in the evening.
.TUESDAY...West winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to 20 knots.
A chance of snow showers.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Lake effect snow
showers.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 5 to
10 knots. Lake effect snow showers.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 36 degrees.

$$

LEZ040-041-291600-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 AM EST Mon Dec 29 2025

...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EST THIS MORNING THROUGH
THIS EVENING...

.TODAY...Southwest storm force winds to 50 knots diminishing to
45 knot gales. A chance of rain and snow showers early, then lake
effect snow showers from late morning on. Visibility one quarter
mile or less at times late. Waves 12 to 17 feet building to 15 to
20 feet. Waves occasionally around 26 feet.
.TONIGHT...West storm force winds to 50 knots diminishing to
40 knot gales. Lake effect snow showers. Visibility one quarter
mile or less at times. Waves 14 to 19 feet subsiding to 11 to
15 feet. Waves occasionally around 24 feet.
.TUESDAY...West gales to 40 knots diminishing to 35 knots. Lake
effect snow showers. Visibility one quarter mile or less at times
in the morning. Waves 10 to 13 feet subsiding to 7 to 11 feet.
Waves occasionally around 16 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds to 30 knots. Lake effect snow
showers. Waves 7 to 10 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
25 knots. Lake effect snow showers. Waves 7 to 10 feet subsiding
to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Snow showers likely during
the day, then a chance of snow showers Thursday night. Waves 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to
4 to 7 feet, then subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally
around 9 feet.

$$

LOZ042-291600-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EST Mon Dec 29 2025

...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM EST THIS MORNING THROUGH
THIS EVENING...

.TODAY...Southwest gales to 40 knots increasing to 50 knot
storms. Lake effect snow showers likely with a chance of lake
effect rain showers late this morning. Lake effect snow showers
this afternoon. Waves 8 to 11 feet building to 15 to 19 feet.
Waves occasionally around 24 feet.
.TONIGHT...West gales to 45 knots diminishing to 40 knots. Lake
effect snow showers. Waves 15 to 19 feet subsiding to 13 to
17 feet. Waves occasionally around 24 feet.
.TUESDAY...West gales to 40 knots diminishing to 35 knots. Lake
effect snow showers. Waves 11 to 16 feet subsiding to 10 to
14 feet. Waves occasionally around 20 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West gales to 35 knots diminishing to 30 knots
overnight. Lake effect snow showers. Waves 10 to 13 feet
subsiding to 6 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 16 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
20 knots. Lake effect snow showers. Waves 6 to 10 feet subsiding
to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers.
Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally
around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow showers.
Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-291600-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 AM EST Mon Dec 29 2025

...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH
THIS EVENING...

.TODAY...South gales to 35 knots becoming southwest and
increasing to 45 knots. Rain showers early, then snow showers
likely with a chance of rain showers late this morning. Lake
effect snow showers this afternoon. Waves 5 to 8 feet building to
15 to 20 feet. Waves occasionally around 26 feet.
.TONIGHT...West gales to 45 knots. Lake effect snow showers.
Waves 18 to 23 feet building to 19 to 24 feet, then subsiding to
17 to 22 feet. Waves occasionally around 31 feet.
.TUESDAY...West gales to 40 knots. Lake effect snow showers.
Waves 15 to 20 feet subsiding to 14 to 19 feet. Waves
occasionally around 26 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West gales to 40 knots diminishing to 30 knots
overnight. Lake effect snow showers. Waves 15 to 19 feet
subsiding to 10 to 14 feet. Waves occasionally around 24 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
20 knots. Lake effect snow showers. Waves 8 to 12 feet subsiding
to 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around 15 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. Snow
showers likely during the day, then a chance of snow showers
Thursday night. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around
7 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves
occasionally around 9 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 37 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-291600-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EST Mon Dec 29 2025

...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH
THIS EVENING...

.TODAY...South winds to 30 knots becoming southwest and
increasing to 50 knot storms this afternoon. Rain showers early,
then rain showers likely with a chance of snow showers late this
morning. Lake effect snow showers this afternoon. Waves 4 to
7 feet building to 15 to 20 feet. Waves occasionally around
26 feet.
.TONIGHT...Southwest storm force winds to 50 knots becoming west
and diminishing to 45 knot gales overnight. Lake effect snow
showers. Visibility one quarter mile or less at times. Waves
16 to 21 feet building to 17 to 22 feet, then subsiding to 15 to
20 feet. Waves occasionally around 28 feet.
.TUESDAY...West gales to 40 knots. Lake effect snow showers.
Visibility one quarter mile or less at times. Waves 15 to 19 feet
subsiding to 12 to 17 feet. Waves occasionally around 24 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West gales to 40 knots diminishing to 15 to
25 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening, then lake
effect snow showers overnight. Visibility one quarter mile or
less at times in the evening. Waves 13 to 17 feet subsiding to
8 to 11 feet. Waves occasionally around 22 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Lake effect snow showers. Waves 7 to 11 feet subsiding
to 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around 14 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Snow
showers likely during the day, then a chance of snow showers
Thursday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. A chance
of snow showers. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 4 to 7 feet, then
subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.

$$