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

1052 AM EST Tue Feb 3 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

1052 AM EST Tue Feb 3 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 34 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

826
FZUS51 KBUF 032103
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 PM EST Tue Feb 3 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.

LEZ020-040400-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
403 PM EST Tue Feb 3 2026

.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less. A chance of snow showers
early.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy in the
morning, then becoming partly sunny.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds less than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. A
chance of snow showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers overnight.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Snow showers.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 32 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-040400-
Lower Niagara River-
403 PM EST Tue Feb 3 2026

.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots diminishing to less than
10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy in the
morning, then becoming partly sunny.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds less than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest. A
chance of snow showers.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow
showers overnight.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Snow showers.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.

$$

LEZ040-041-040400-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 PM EST Tue Feb 3 2026

.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers
early. The lake is mostly ice covered.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds less than 10 knots. Partly sunny.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds less than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers overnight.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 30 knots. Snow showers.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-040400-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EST Tue Feb 3 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST WEDNESDAY...

.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers early, then lake effect snow
showers likely from late evening on. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding
to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west. Lake
effect snow showers likely in the morning, then a chance of snow
showers in the afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of
snow showers in the evening, then lake effect snow showers likely
overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Snow showers likely in the morning, then a chance of snow showers
in the afternoon. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to
15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers overnight. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 35 knot gales. Snow showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 8 to 12 feet. Waves occasionally around 15 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
25 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 7 to 10 feet subsiding to 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming north. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-040400-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 PM EST Tue Feb 3 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EST WEDNESDAY...

.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Lake effect snow showers.
Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Lake effect snow showers.
Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Lake effect snow showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. Lake
effect snow showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot
or less.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 35 knot gales. Snow showers. Waves 2 feet or less
building to 10 to 13 feet. Waves occasionally around 16 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
25 knots. A chance of snow showers during the day. Waves 9 to
12 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around
15 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves
1 to 3 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 34 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-040400-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 PM EST Tue Feb 3 2026

.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Lake effect snow showers
through the early overnight, then a chance of snow showers late.
Waves in ice free areas 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow showers
in the morning. Waves 1 foot or less.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest.
Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds less than 10 knots becoming west. A
chance of snow showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less increasing to
10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest and
increasing to 35 knot gales. Snow showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds to 30 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers during the day. Waves 1 foot
or less.
.SUNDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. Partly to
mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$