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

1011 AM EDT Thu Apr 23 2026 The water temperature off Buffalo is 47 degrees.

1011 AM EDT Thu Apr 23 2026 The water temperature off Rochester is 43 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

612
FZUS51 KBUF 232005
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
404 PM EDT Thu Apr 23 2026

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.

LEZ020-240300-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
404 PM EDT Thu Apr 23 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds less than 10 knots. Partly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots. Partly to mostly sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 knots. A chance of showers in
the evening, then showers likely overnight.
.SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast. Showers
likely.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 10 knots or less. Rain showers
likely in the evening, then a chance of rain showers overnight.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds less than 10 knots. Becoming mainly
clear.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds becoming southeast 5 to
10 knots. A chance of showers Monday night.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest.
Showers.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 47 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-240300-
Lower Niagara River-
404 PM EDT Thu Apr 23 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east. Partly
cloudy.
.FRIDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast. Partly to
mostly sunny.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds around 10 knots. A chance of showers
in the evening, then showers likely overnight.
.SATURDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Showers
likely.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Rain showers
likely in the evening, then a chance of rain showers overnight.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and
variable. Becoming mainly clear.
.MONDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast. A
chance of showers Monday night.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Showers.

$$

LEZ040-041-240300-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
404 PM EDT Thu Apr 23 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 knots or less. Mainly clear this
evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Becoming mostly sunny.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A
chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening, then showers
with a chance of thunderstorms overnight. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northeast. Showers.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Rain showers
likely in the evening, then a chance of rain showers overnight.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east. Partly
cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast and
increasing to 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers Monday night.
Waves 1 foot or less building to 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest 5 to
15 knots. Showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$

LOZ042-240300-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
404 PM EDT Thu Apr 23 2026

.TONIGHT...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east 10 to
15 knots. Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Partly to mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Showers likely
overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY...East winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northeast. Showers
likely. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 4 to 7 feet, then subsiding
to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northeast
5 to 15 knots. Rain showers likely in the evening, then a chance
of rain showers overnight. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less becoming east.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 2 feet or less.
.MONDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast. A chance
of showers Monday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southwest
10 to 15 knots. Showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ043-240300-
Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
404 PM EDT Thu Apr 23 2026

.TONIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast 10 to
15 knots. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly to mostly sunny.
Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to
20 knots. A chance of showers overnight. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...East winds 15 to 20 knots. Showers likely. Waves 2 to
4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots. Rain showers likely
in the evening, then a chance of rain showers overnight. Waves
2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming light and variable.
Becoming mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...East winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast 10 to
15 knots. Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south 10 to
15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 43 degrees.

$$

LOZ044-240300-
Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario-
404 PM EDT Thu Apr 23 2026

.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. Becoming
mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east.
Partly to mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of showers in the
morning, then showers likely in the afternoon. Waves 2 feet or
less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less. Showers likely in
the evening, then a chance of showers overnight. Waves 1 foot or
less.
.SUNDAY...East winds less than 10 knots. Partly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds becoming southeast 10 to
15 knots. Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south 10 to
15 knots. Showers likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ045-240300-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
404 PM EDT Thu Apr 23 2026

.TONIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast. Mostly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north. Sunny.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east.
Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves
1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of rain showers.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less. A chance of rain
showers. Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...Northeast winds less than 10 knots. Partly cloudy.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY...Light and variable winds becoming southeast 10 to
15 knots. Mainly clear, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 2 feet
or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots becoming south. Showers
likely. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$