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

937 AM EST Mon Jan 20 2025 The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

937 AM EST Mon Jan 20 2025 The water temperature off Rochester is 35 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

361
FZUS51 KBUF 202147
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
447 PM EST Mon Jan 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.

LEZ020-210430-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
447 PM EST Mon Jan 20 2025

.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Occasional lake effect snow.
.TUESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers in
the morning, then lake effect snow likely in the afternoon.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow
showers.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south. A
chance of snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers.
.FRIDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers Saturday night.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-210430-
Lower Niagara River-
447 PM EST Mon Jan 20 2025

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Partly cloudy.
.TUESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers in
the afternoon.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers overnight.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south. A
chance of snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow
showers Saturday night.

$$

LEZ040-041-210430-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
447 PM EST Mon Jan 20 2025

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY
NIGHT...
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...West winds to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots.
Heavy freezing spray. Lake effect snow. Waves in ice free areas
6 to 9 feet. Waves in ice free areas occasionally around 11 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Heavy freezing spray. Lake
effect snow. Waves 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around
10 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Heavy freezing spray.
Lake effect snow. Waves 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around 9
feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south. A
chance of snow showers. Waves subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...South winds 15 to 20 knots. Mostly cloudy.
Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow
showers Saturday night. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally
around 7 feet.

Wave heights are for ice free areas.

$$

LOZ042-210430-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
447 PM EST Mon Jan 20 2025

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY
MORNING...
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT...

.TONIGHT...West winds to 30 knots. Heavy freezing spray. A chance
of snow showers. Waves 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around
10 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds to 30 knots. Heavy freezing spray. A chance
of snow showers. Waves 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around
9 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Heavy freezing spray.
A chance of snow showers. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally
around 7 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Heavy freezing spray
in the morning. A chance of snow showers in the morning. Waves
3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...South winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow
showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow
showers Saturday night. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally
around 7 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-210430-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
447 PM EST Mon Jan 20 2025

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY
MORNING...
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...

.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. Heavy
freezing spray. Lake effect snow likely early. Waves 4 to 7 feet
building to 5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southwest winds to 30 knots becoming west 15 to
25 knots. Heavy freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves
5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest.
Heavy freezing spray. Lake effect snow. Waves 4 to 7 feet. Waves
occasionally around 9 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south 10 to
15 knots. Heavy freezing spray in the morning. Lake effect snow
in the morning. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves
occasionally around 7 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow
showers Thursday night. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves building to 3 to 5
feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 35 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-210430-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
447 PM EST Mon Jan 20 2025

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY
MORNING...
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

.TONIGHT...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west. Heavy
freezing spray. Lake effect snow. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to
5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around 10 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Heavy freezing spray. Lake
effect snow. Waves 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around
10 feet.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest
10 to 15 knots. Heavy freezing spray. Lake effect snow. Waves
4 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around
9 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Heavy freezing spray in the morning. Lake effect snow
in the morning. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6
feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...South winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers.
Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves building to 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around
9 feet.

$$