Lingering Cold and Snow in the Great Lakes/Appalachians/Northeast; Pacific Storms Continue to Impact the Northwest

In the wake of a storm lifting through the Canadian Maritimes, heavy snow will continue downwind of the Great Lakes through this weekend and over parts of the Appalachians and interior Northeast through Friday along with gusty winds. Several Pacific storms will continue periods of low elevation rain showers and mountain snow over the Northwest U.S. today thorough this weekend. 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

952 AM EST Thu Jan 2 2025 The water temperature off Buffalo is 39 degrees.

952 AM EST Thu Jan 2 2025 The water temperature off Rochester is 41 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

731
FZUS51 KBUF 021831
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
131 PM EST Thu Jan 2 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.

LEZ020-022230-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
131 PM EST Thu Jan 2 2025

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

.THIS AFTERNOON...West winds 20 to 25 knots. Partly sunny.
.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Lake effect snow showers
likely in the afternoon.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow
showers.
.SATURDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Lake effect snow showers
likely.
.SUNDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.MONDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow showers.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 39 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-022230-
Lower Niagara River-
131 PM EST Thu Jan 2 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...

.THIS AFTERNOON...West winds to 30 knots. Mostly sunny.
.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Lake effect snow showers
likely in the afternoon.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west. A
chance of snow showers in the evening.
.SATURDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Lake effect snow showers
likely.
.SUNDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers.
.MONDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of snow showers.

$$

LEZ040-041-022230-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
131 PM EST Thu Jan 2 2025

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

.THIS AFTERNOON...West winds to 30 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 6 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 20 to 25 knots. A chance of snow showers in
the evening, then lake effect snow showers likely overnight.
Waves 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around 10 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow showers in
the morning, then lake effect snow in the afternoon. Waves 4 to 7
feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west to
30 knots. Lake effect snow. Waves 6 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally
around 11 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds to 30 knots. Lake effect snow. Waves 5 to
9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Snow showers likely. Waves 3
to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
.MONDAY...Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ042-022230-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
131 PM EST Thu Jan 2 2025

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

.THIS AFTERNOON...West winds to 30 knots. A chance of snow
showers. Waves 8 to 11 feet. Waves occasionally around 14 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds to 30 knots. A chance of snow showers in
the evening. Waves 8 to 11 feet. Waves occasionally around
14 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 20 to 25 knots. Lake effect snow showers
likely. Waves 5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 20 to 25 knots becoming west. A
chance of snow showers. Waves 5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally
around 10 feet.
.SATURDAY...West winds to 30 knots. Lake effect snow showers
likely. Waves 6 to 10 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.SUNDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Lake effect snow showers
likely. Waves 5 to 8 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves
occasionally around 10 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers
Monday night. Waves 2 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-022230-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
131 PM EST Thu Jan 2 2025

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.THIS AFTERNOON...West gales to 35 knots. Lake effect snow. Waves
11 to 16 feet. Waves occasionally around 20 feet.
.TONIGHT...West gales to 35 knots diminishing to 30 knots. Lake
effect snow. Waves 11 to 16 feet. Waves occasionally around
20 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds to 30 knots. Lake effect snow. Waves 10 to
13 feet subsiding to 7 to 11 feet. Waves occasionally around
16 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 20 to 25 knots becoming northwest.
Lake effect snow showers likely. Waves 6 to 10 feet. Waves
occasionally around 13 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds to 30 knots. Lake effect snow. Waves
8 to 12 feet. Waves occasionally around 15 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots. Lake effect snow. Waves
5 to 8 feet. Waves occasionally around 10 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers
Monday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 41 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-022230-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
131 PM EST Thu Jan 2 2025

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

.THIS AFTERNOON...West gales to 35 knots. Lake effect snow showers
likely. Waves 10 to 14 feet. Waves occasionally around 18 feet.
.TONIGHT...West gales to 35 knots diminishing to 30 knots. Lake
effect snow. Waves 10 to 15 feet. Waves occasionally around
19 feet.
.FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow showers in
the afternoon. Waves 9 to 12 feet subsiding to 7 to 10 feet.
Waves occasionally around 15 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of snow showers. Waves 5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally
around 11 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Lake effect snow
showers likely. Waves 6 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11
feet.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Snow showers likely.
Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally
around 9 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers
Monday night. Waves 2 feet or less.

$$

Radar