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 Tue Apr 28 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 45 degrees.

1003 AM EDT Tue Apr 28 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 42 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

633
FZUS51 KBUF 290203
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1003 PM EDT Tue Apr 28 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.

LEZ020-290900-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1003 PM EDT Tue Apr 28 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light
and variable. Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming north. A
chance of showers in the morning, then rain in the afternoon.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest.
Rain in the evening, then a chance of rain showers overnight.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly sunny.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less. Becoming mainly
clear.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 knots or less. Partly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...West winds 10 knots or less. Partly to mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of rain showers
Sunday night.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 45 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-290900-
Lower Niagara River-
1003 PM EDT Tue Apr 28 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming
northwest. Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming north. A
chance of showers in the morning, then rain in the afternoon.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Rain
in the evening, then a chance of rain showers overnight.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly sunny.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west.
Becoming mainly clear.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of rain showers
Sunday night.

$$

LEZ040-290900-
Ripley to Dunkirk along Lake Erie-
1003 PM EDT Tue Apr 28 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds less than 10 knots. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Light and variable winds becoming north around
10 knots. A chance of showers in the morning, then rain in the
afternoon. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest.
Rain in the evening, then a chance of showers overnight. Waves
1 to 2 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves
1 to 2 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of rain showers during the day. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of rain showers
Sunday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LEZ041-290900-
Dunkirk to Buffalo along Lake Erie-
1003 PM EDT Tue Apr 28 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light
and variable. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Light and variable winds becoming north 5 to
10 knots. A chance of showers in the morning, then rain in the
afternoon. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest.
Rain in the evening, then a chance of rain showers overnight.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less
than 10 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest. Partly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of rain showers
Sunday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ042-290900-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EDT Tue Apr 28 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming
west. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...North winds 10 knots or less. Rain in the afternoon.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west.
Rain. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Mostly sunny. Waves 2 to
4 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves
2 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ043-290900-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1003 PM EDT Tue Apr 28 2026

.OVERNIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming north.
Rain in the afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west 15 to
20 knots. Rain. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers in the
morning. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 2 to
4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest 10 to
15 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 42 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-290900-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EDT Tue Apr 28 2026

.OVERNIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast.
Rain in the afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Rain.
Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers. Waves
2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around
7 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 2 to
4 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest 5 to
15 knots. A chance of rain showers Sunday night. Waves 2 to
4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ045-290900-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1003 PM EDT Tue Apr 28 2026

.OVERNIGHT...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less becoming north.
Rain in the afternoon. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Rain. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Rain in the morning, then a chance of showers in the
afternoon. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves
occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 to
4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of rain showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet, then
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.

$$