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 EST Sun Jan 18 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

1003 AM EST Sun Jan 18 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 36 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

423
FZUS51 KBUF 190903
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
403 AM EST Mon Jan 19 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.

LEZ020-191600-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
403 AM EST Mon Jan 19 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING...

.TODAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Lake effect snow early, then lake
effect snow showers from late morning on. Visibility one quarter
mile or less at times.
.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow showers in
the evening.
.TUESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Partly sunny.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. Lake effect snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. Snow
showers.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Snow showers likely during the day, then a chance of
snow showers Thursday night.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-191600-
Lower Niagara River-
403 AM EST Mon Jan 19 2026

.TODAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Lake effect snow early, then lake
effect snow showers. A chance of snow showers late.
.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Partly sunny.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening, then
lake effect snow showers likely overnight.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. Snow
showers.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.FRIDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. A chance
of snow showers.

$$

LEZ040-041-191600-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
403 AM EST Mon Jan 19 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST EARLY THIS
MORNING...
...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY
MORNING...

.TODAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west and
increasing to 35 knot gales this afternoon. Snow showers likely
this morning, then lake effect snow showers this afternoon.
Visibility one quarter mile or less at times this afternoon.
Waves 4 to 7 feet building to 10 to 14 feet. Waves occasionally
around 18 feet.
.TONIGHT...West gales to 35 knots diminishing to 30 knots. Lake
effect snow showers. Visibility one quarter mile or less at times
in the evening. Waves 10 to 14 feet subsiding to 7 to 10 feet.
Waves occasionally around 18 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds to 30 knots. Heavy freezing spray in the
morning. Lake effect snow showers. Waves 7 to 10 feet. Waves
occasionally around 13 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Lake effect snow
showers. Waves 5 to 9 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves
occasionally around 11 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west to
30 knots. Snow showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet building to 6 to
9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to 20 knots.
Snow showers likely during the day, then a chance of snow showers
Thursday night. Waves 6 to 9 feet subsiding to 4 to 7 feet. Waves
occasionally around 11 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding
to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.

$$

LOZ042-191600-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EST Mon Jan 19 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST THIS MORNING...
...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY
NIGHT...

.TODAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west and
increasing to 40 knot gales this afternoon. Heavy freezing spray.
Lake effect snow early, then lake effect snow showers. A chance
of snow showers late. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 10 to
14 feet. Waves occasionally around 18 feet.
.TONIGHT...West gales to 35 knots diminishing to 30 knots. Heavy
freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves 10 to 14 feet
subsiding to 8 to 11 feet. Waves occasionally around 18 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds to 30 knots. Heavy freezing spray. A chance
of snow showers. Waves 8 to 11 feet. Waves occasionally around
14 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds to 30 knots becoming southwest 15 to
25 knots. Heavy freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves
6 to 10 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around
13 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west to
30 knots. Snow showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet building to 6 to
9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots.
A chance of snow showers. Waves 6 to 10 feet. Waves occasionally
around 13 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow showers.
Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally
around 9 feet.

$$

LOZ043-191600-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
403 AM EST Mon Jan 19 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST THIS MORNING...
...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY
NIGHT...

.TODAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west and
increasing to 35 knot gales this afternoon. Heavy freezing spray.
A chance of snow showers this morning, then lake effect snow
showers this afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 9 to
12 feet. Waves occasionally around 15 feet.
.TONIGHT...West gales to 35 knots diminishing to 30 knots. Heavy
freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves 10 to 14 feet.
Waves occasionally around 18 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds to 30 knots. Heavy freezing spray. A chance
of snow showers in the afternoon. Waves 7 to 11 feet. Waves
occasionally around 14 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds to 30 knots becoming southwest 15 to
25 knots. Heavy freezing spray. Waves 6 to 10 feet subsiding to
3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest to
30 knots. Snow showers likely. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 5 to
8 feet. Waves occasionally around 10 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots.
A chance of snow showers. Waves 6 to 10 feet. Waves occasionally
around 13 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow showers.
Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally
around 9 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 36 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-191600-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EST Mon Jan 19 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST THIS MORNING...
...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY
NIGHT...

.TODAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 40 knot
gales this afternoon. Heavy freezing spray. Snow showers likely
this morning, then a chance of snow showers early this afternoon.
Snow showers late. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 11 to 15 feet.
Waves occasionally around 19 feet.
.TONIGHT...West gales to 40 knots diminishing to 30 knots. Heavy
freezing spray. A chance of snow showers in the evening, then
snow showers likely overnight. Waves 14 to 19 feet subsiding to
12 to 16 feet. Waves occasionally around 24 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds to 30 knots. Heavy freezing spray. A chance
of snow showers in the morning, then lake effect snow showers in
the afternoon. Waves 10 to 14 feet. Waves occasionally around
18 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds to 30 knots becoming southwest 15 to
25 knots. A chance of snow showers in the evening. Heavy freezing
spray. Waves 10 to 14 feet subsiding to 6 to 9 feet. Waves
occasionally around 18 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest and
increasing to 30 knots. Snow showers likely. Waves 3 to 6 feet
building to 8 to 11 feet. Waves occasionally around 14 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds to 30 knots. Snow showers likely during
the day, then a chance of snow showers Thursday night. Waves
10 to 14 feet. Waves occasionally around 18 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of snow showers. Waves 5 to 9 feet subsiding to 3 to 5 feet.
Waves occasionally around 11 feet.

$$

LOZ045-191600-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
403 AM EST Mon Jan 19 2026

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST THIS MORNING...
...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY
NIGHT...

.TODAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 40 knot
gales this afternoon. Heavy freezing spray. Lake effect snow
showers. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 11 to 15 feet. Waves
occasionally around 19 feet.
.TONIGHT...West gales to 40 knots diminishing to 30 knots
overnight. Lake effect snow showers. Visibility one quarter mile
or less at times. Waves 13 to 17 feet subsiding to 11 to 15 feet.
Waves occasionally around 22 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds to 30 knots. Heavy freezing spray. Lake
effect snow showers. Waves 8 to 12 feet building to 10 to
13 feet. Waves occasionally around 16 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds to 30 knots becoming southwest 15 to
25 knots. Heavy freezing spray. Lake effect snow showers. Waves
9 to 13 feet subsiding to 6 to 10 feet. Waves occasionally around
16 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest to
30 knots. Snow showers. Waves 5 to 8 feet building to 9 to
12 feet. Waves occasionally around 15 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots.
Snow showers likely. Waves 9 to 13 feet subsiding to 8 to
11 feet. Waves occasionally around 16 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. A chance
of snow showers. Waves 6 to 9 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet.
Waves occasionally around 11 feet.

$$