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

1002 AM EDT Sun Apr 13 2025 The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

1002 AM EDT Sun Apr 13 2025 The water temperature off Rochester is 40 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

312
FZUS51 KBUF 140921
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
521 AM EDT Mon Apr 14 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.

LEZ020-141515-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
521 AM EDT Mon Apr 14 2025

.TODAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest.
Showers likely early. A chance of showers late.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of rain
showers in the evening.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west and
increasing to 15 to 25 knots. A chance of rain showers in the
morning, then rain showers likely in the afternoon.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of rain and snow showers in the evening, then
a chance of snow showers overnight.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Cloudy, then becoming
partly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Mainly
clear, then becoming partly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Showers likely.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-141515-
Lower Niagara River-
521 AM EDT Mon Apr 14 2025

.TODAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south. Showers
likely early. A chance of showers late.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers in
the evening.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. A chance
of showers in the morning, then showers likely in the afternoon.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of rain
showers in the evening.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. Cloudy, then becoming partly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Mainly
clear, then becoming partly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely.

$$

LEZ040-041-141515-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
521 AM EDT Mon Apr 14 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH
WEDNESDAY EVENING...

.TODAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Rain
showers likely early. A chance of rain showers late. Waves in ice
free areas 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of rain
showers in the evening. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to
5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west to
30 knots. A chance of rain showers in the morning, then rain
showers likely in the afternoon. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to
6 to 10 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
25 knots. Rain and snow showers likely in the evening, then rain
showers likely with a chance of snow showers overnight. Waves
6 to 10 feet subsiding to 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around
13 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow and rain showers during the day. Waves
4 to 7 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around
9 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south. Mainly
clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Rain showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to
4 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$

LOZ042-141515-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
521 AM EDT Mon Apr 14 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH LATE
WEDNESDAY NIGHT...

.TODAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south. A chance
of showers early. A chance of showers late. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers in the evening. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 2 to 4 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west to
30 knots. A chance of showers in the morning, then showers likely
in the afternoon. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 6 to 9 feet.
Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds to 30 knots. A chance of rain showers
in the evening. Waves 7 to 10 feet. Waves occasionally around
13 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
25 knots. Mostly cloudy, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 7 to
10 feet subsiding to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
13 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south. Mainly
clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding
to 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely during the day, then showers Friday night. Waves 1 foot or
less building to 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-141515-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
521 AM EDT Mon Apr 14 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
THURSDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south. A chance
of rain showers late. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers in the evening. Waves 2 feet or
less building to 2 to 4 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west to
30 knots. A chance of showers in the morning, then showers likely
in the afternoon. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 6 to 9 feet.
Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds to 30 knots. A chance of rain showers
in the evening, then rain showers likely overnight. Waves 10 to
14 feet. Waves occasionally around 18 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to
25 knots. Rain showers likely with a chance of snow showers
during the day. Waves 9 to 12 feet subsiding to 4 to 7 feet.
Waves occasionally around 15 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 3 to 5 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots. Rain showers. Waves 2 feet
or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 40 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-141515-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
521 AM EDT Mon Apr 14 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
THURSDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots. Partly sunny this morning,
then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest. A
chance of showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. A chance
of showers. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 5 to 8 feet. Waves
occasionally around 10 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds to 30 knots. Rain showers likely.
Waves 8 to 12 feet building to 9 to 13 feet. Waves occasionally
around 16 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest and
diminishing to 10 to 15 knots. Rain and snow showers likely
during the day, then a chance of rain showers Wednesday night.
Waves 8 to 11 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally
around 14 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.
.FRIDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 20
knots. A chance of rain showers during the day, then rain showers
Friday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$