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 Sat Sep 20 2025 The water temperature off Buffalo is 70 degrees.

1003 AM EDT Sat Sep 20 2025 The water temperature off Rochester is 64 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

286
FZUS51 KBUF 210203
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1003 PM EDT Sat Sep 20 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.

LEZ020-210900-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1003 PM EDT Sat Sep 20 2025

.REST OF TONIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south. Mostly
sunny.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers in
the evening, then showers likely overnight.
.MONDAY...South winds around 10 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Showers.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming north.
Showers.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east. A
chance of showers.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming south. A chance
of showers.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 70 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-210900-
Lower Niagara River-
1003 PM EDT Sat Sep 20 2025

.REST OF TONIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south. Mostly
sunny.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south.
Showers.
.MONDAY...South winds around 10 knots becoming southwest.
Showers.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Showers.
.TUESDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming north. Showers
likely.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east. A
chance of showers.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast. A
chance of showers.

$$

LEZ041-210900-
Dunkirk to Buffalo along Lake Erie-
1003 PM EDT Sat Sep 20 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

.REST OF TONIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southeast
5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to
2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south
15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers in the evening, then showers
likely overnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely in the morning, then showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms in the afternoon. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers with a
chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then showers overnight.
Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south. A chance of
showers. Waves 1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LEZ040-210900-
Ripley to Dunkirk along Lake Erie-
1003 PM EDT Sat Sep 20 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south
and diminishing to around 10 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southeast. Mostly
sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south
15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the
evening, then showers overnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Showers in the morning, then showers with a chance of
thunderstorms in the afternoon. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers with a
chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then showers overnight.
Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. Showers.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast. A chance
of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-210900-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EDT Sat Sep 20 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

.REST OF TONIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. Mostly
sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south.
Showers likely. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely in the morning, then showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms in the afternoon. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers likely
with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then showers
likely overnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. Showers
likely. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast. A chance
of showers. Waves 2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ043-210900-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1003 PM EDT Sat Sep 20 2025

.REST OF TONIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southeast
and diminishing to 5 to 10 knots. Mainly clear late this evening,
then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to
5 feet, then subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south. A
chance of showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely with a chance of thunderstorms. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. Showers likely
with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then showers
likely overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. Showers
likely. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast. A chance
of showers. Waves 2 feet or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

The water temperature off Rochester is 64 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-210900-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EDT Sat Sep 20 2025

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming
southeast 10 to 15 knots. Mainly clear late this evening, then
becoming partly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 2 feet or
less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves
2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south. A
chance of showers overnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of showers in the morning, then showers likely with a chance of
thunderstorms in the afternoon. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest.
Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening,
then showers overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. Showers
during the day, then showers likely Tuesday night. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A
chance of showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast. A chance
of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ045-210900-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EDT Sat Sep 20 2025

.REST OF TONIGHT...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming
southeast 10 to 15 knots. Mainly clear. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south. Mostly
sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south
15 to 20 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. A chance of showers in the morning, then showers likely
in the afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest.
Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening,
then showers overnight. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast.
Showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast. A chance
of showers. Waves 1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$