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

1017 AM EDT Tue Mar 11 2025 The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

1017 AM EDT Tue Mar 11 2025 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

549
FZUS51 KBUF 111417
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1017 AM EDT Tue Mar 11 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.

LEZ020-112130-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
1017 AM EDT Tue Mar 11 2025

.THIS AFTERNOON...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming
northwest. Mostly sunny.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds around 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming partly
cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less. A chance of rain
showers in the afternoon.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less becoming
northeast. Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Light and variable winds. Mostly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots. Showers.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-112130-
Lower Niagara River-
1017 AM EDT Tue Mar 11 2025

.THIS AFTERNOON...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming
northwest 10 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly sunny.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming north. Mainly
clear.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming east. Partly
sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northeast
less than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds less than 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming south. Mostly
cloudy.
.SATURDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots. Showers.

$$

LEZ040-041-112130-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
1017 AM EDT Tue Mar 11 2025

.THIS AFTERNOON...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming west.
Mostly sunny. The lake is mostly ice covered.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. Partly
cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northeast. A
chance of rain showers in the afternoon.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of
rain showers in the evening.
.THURSDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less. Mostly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.SATURDAY...South winds 15 to 20 knots. Showers.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$

LOZ042-112130-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
1017 AM EDT Tue Mar 11 2025

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

.THIS AFTERNOON...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming
northwest. Partly to mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to
3 to 4 feet.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 10 to
15 knots. Becoming mainly clear. Waves 3 to 4 feet subsiding to
1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming east 15 to
20 knots. Partly sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly
cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to
4 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 to
3 feet.
.FRIDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3
feet.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Showers. Waves 1 to 3
feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-112130-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
1017 AM EDT Tue Mar 11 2025

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

.THIS AFTERNOON...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west.
Mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 4 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming north 5 to
15 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. Partly sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming east
10 to 15 knots. A chance of rain showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southeast winds increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of showers
during the day, then showers likely Saturday night. Waves 2 to 4
feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 36 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-112130-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
1017 AM EDT Tue Mar 11 2025

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

.THIS AFTERNOON...South winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. Sunny late this morning, then becoming partly
sunny. The lake is mostly ice covered.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast. Becoming
mainly clear.
.WEDNESDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly sunny in the
morning, then becoming mostly cloudy.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A
chance of rain showers.
.THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Mostly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...Southeast winds increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Mostly
cloudy.
.SATURDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of showers
during the day, then showers likely Saturday night.

Waves omitted due to the lake being mostly ice covered.

$$