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

1002 AM EDT Tue Apr 15 2025 The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

1002 AM EDT Tue Apr 15 2025 The water temperature off Rochester is 40 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

112
FZUS51 KBUF 160802
NSHBUF

Nearshore Marine Forecast
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
402 AM EDT Wed Apr 16 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.

LEZ020-161500-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
402 AM EDT Wed Apr 16 2025

.TODAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 20 knots.
A chance of snow showers early.
.TONIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Partly cloudy in the
evening, then becoming mainly clear.
.THURSDAY...Southwest winds 10 knots or less. Sunny.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds less than 10 knots. Mainly clear in
the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy.
.FRIDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely during the day, then showers Friday night.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Showers during the day.
.SUNDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A chance of
rain showers Sunday night.

The water temperature off Buffalo is 33 degrees.

$$

LOZ030-161500-
Lower Niagara River-
402 AM EDT Wed Apr 16 2025

.TODAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. Cloudy.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 5 to
15 knots. Partly cloudy in the evening, then becoming mainly
clear.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Sunny.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds less than 10 knots becoming
southeast. Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming mostly
cloudy.
.FRIDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely during the day, then showers Friday night.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Rain showers during the day.
.SUNDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A chance of
rain showers Sunday night.

$$

LEZ040-041-161500-
Buffalo to Ripley along Lake Erie-
402 AM EDT Wed Apr 16 2025

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

.TODAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. A chance of snow and rain
showers this morning, then a chance of snow showers early this
afternoon. Waves 4 to 7 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to
15 knots. Partly cloudy in the evening, then becoming clear.
Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally
around 7 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Sunny. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 knots or less. Mainly clear in
the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Waves 1 foot or less.
.FRIDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Showers likely during the day, then showers Friday
night. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest.
Showers during the day, then a chance of showers Saturday night.
Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. A chance of
rain showers Sunday night. Waves 1 foot or less.

$$

LOZ042-161500-
Niagara River to Hamlin Beach along Lake Ontario-
402 AM EDT Wed Apr 16 2025

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

.TODAY...West winds to 30 knots. A chance of rain and snow
showers early. Waves 6 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around
11 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Partly cloudy in the
evening, then becoming mainly clear. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding
to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 9 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Sunny. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming
southeast. Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming mostly
cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less.
.FRIDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Showers likely during the day, then showers Friday
night. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest
10 to 15 knots. Showers during the day. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming east. Partly to
mostly cloudy. Waves 1 to 3 feet.

$$

LOZ043-044-161500-
Hamlin Beach to Mexico Bay along Lake Ontario
including Irondequoit Bay-
402 AM EDT Wed Apr 16 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...West winds to 30 knots. A chance of rain and snow
showers through early afternoon. Waves 7 to 11 feet. Waves
occasionally around 14 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Mostly cloudy in the
evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 7 to 10 feet
subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet.
.THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots diminishing to 10 to
15 knots. Sunny. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast.
Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to
20 knots. Rain showers likely during the day, then rain showers
Friday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest
10 to 15 knots. Showers during the day. Waves 2 to 4 feet
building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming east. Partly to
mostly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.

The water temperature off Rochester is 40 degrees.

$$

LOZ045-161500-
Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River along Lake Ontario-
402 AM EDT Wed Apr 16 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...

.TODAY...West winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of snow and rain
showers. Waves 5 to 9 feet. Waves occasionally around 11 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 5 to
15 knots. A chance of rain showers in the evening. Waves 5 to
8 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around
10 feet.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Sunny. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south.
Clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 1 to
3 feet.
.FRIDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots. Rain showers likely during the day, then rain showers
with a chance of thunderstorms Friday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest
10 to 15 knots. Rain showers with a chance of thunderstorms
during the day. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Waves occasionally around
6 feet.
.SUNDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast.
Partly cloudy. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.

Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.

$$