Snow Across the Great Lakes, Central Appalachians, and Northeast; Unsettled Weather in the West

Light to moderate snow will continue into Saturday over the Great Lakes, Central Appalachians, and Northeast. This weekend into next week, a series of atmospheric rivers will bring gusty winds, periods of heavy rain, and mountain snow to northern California and the Pacific Northwest. Colder temperatures are in store for the weekend from the Great Lakes to East Coast. Read More >

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

1005 AM EST Fri Dec 20 2024 The water temperature off Buffalo is 42 degrees.

1005 AM EST Fri Dec 20 2024 The water temperature off Rochester is 44 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

092
FZUS51 KBUF 210900
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
400 AM EST Sat Dec 21 2024

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.

LEZ020-211615-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
400 AM EST Sat Dec 21 2024

.TODAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Scattered snow showers
early otherwise mostly cloudy.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less. Scattered flurries
in the evening.
.SUNDAY...North winds less than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy in the
morning, then becoming mostly sunny.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds. Mainly clear in the
evening, then becoming partly cloudy.
.MONDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots . A chance of snow showers
during the day, then snow Monday night.
.TUESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY...Light and variable winds. Mostly cloudy.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 42 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-211615-
Lower Niagara River-
400 AM EST Sat Dec 21 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers
early otherwise mostly cloudy.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 10 to
15 knots. Scattered flurries in the evening.
.SUNDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and variable.
Mostly cloudy in the morning, then becoming partly sunny.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear
in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers
during the day, then snow Monday night.
.TUESDAY...West winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.WEDNESDAY...East winds less than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.

$$

LEZ041-211615-
Dunkirk to Buffalo along Lake Erie-
400 AM EST Sat Dec 21 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 3 to 4 feet subsiding
to 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming north.
Scattered lake effect snow showers in the evening. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.SUNDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and variable.
Mostly cloudy in the morning, then becoming mostly sunny. Waves
1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 10 knots or less becoming south.
Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Snow and rain Monday night. Waves building to 2 to 4
feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Rain and snow showers
likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...East winds less than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.

$$

LEZ040-211615-
Ripley to Dunkirk along Lake Erie-
400 AM EST Sat Dec 21 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest 10 to
15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves 3 to 4 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming north.
Scattered flurries in the evening. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and variable.
Mostly cloudy in the morning, then becoming partly sunny. Waves
1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less. Partly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Rain and snow Monday night. Waves building to 2 to 4
feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Rain and snow showers
likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southeast winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ042-211615-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
400 AM EST Sat Dec 21 2024

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

.TODAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Scattered snow showers.
Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 10 to
15 knots. Scattered flurries. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and variable.
Scattered flurries in the morning. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less. Partly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. A chance of snow showers during the day, then snow
Monday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...West winds 10 knots or less. A chance of rain and snow
showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...East winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ043-211615-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
400 AM EST Sat Dec 21 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.TODAY...North winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest.
Occasional light lake effect snow, tapering off through early
afternoon. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 10 to
15 knots. A chance of lake effect snow showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet
subsiding to 2 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming northwest. A
chance of lake effect snow showers in the morning, then scattered
flurries in the afternoon. Waves subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Partly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...South winds increasing to 15 to 20 knots. A chance of
snow showers during the day, then snow Monday night. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.TUESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow and rain
showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...East winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.

The water temperature off Rochester is 44 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-045-211615-
Sodus Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
400 AM EST Sat Dec 21 2024

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.TODAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest.
Occasional light lake effect snow, tapering off this morning.
Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.TONIGHT...North winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. A chance of lake effect snow showers. Waves subsiding
to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...North winds 10 knots or less. A chance of lake effect
snow showers in the morning. Waves subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Light and variable winds becoming south 5 to
10 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...South winds increasing to 15 to 25 knots. Snow Monday
night. Waves building to 2 to 4 feet.
.TUESDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots. Snow. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.

$$

JM/RSH

Radar