Lake Ontario water temperature today
Across 6 reporting buoys, the water ranges from 55°F at EAST Lake America to 60°F at Oswego, NY.
Latest readings from the 6 NOAA buoys on Lake Ontario: water temperature, wind and waves. Sorted with the long-running offshore buoys first.
| Buoy | Water | Wind | Waves | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST Lake AmericaNDBC 45012 · 43.62°N 77.40°W | 55°F 13°C | NNW 18 kt | – | Oct 17, 13:30 UTC |
| Prince Edward PointNDBC 45135 · 43.78°N 76.87°W | 56°F 13°C | N 18 kt | 3 ft @ 4s | Oct 17, 13:00 UTC |
| West Lake OntarioNDBC 45139 · 43.25°N 79.53°W | 58°F 14°C | N 16 kt | 2 ft @ 4s | Oct 17, 13:00 UTC |
| Lake SimcoeNDBC 45151 · 44.50°N 79.37°W | 58°F 15°C | NNW 16 kt | 1 ft @ 2s | Oct 17, 13:00 UTC |
| NW Lake Ontario AjaxNDBC 45159 · 43.77°N 78.98°W | 58°F 14°C | NNW 14 kt | 1 ft @ 2s | Oct 17, 13:00 UTC |
| Oswego, NYNDBC 45215 · 43.50°N 76.54°W | 60°F 15°C | – | 5 ft @ 5s | Oct 17, 12:56 UTC |
See where the warm and cold water actually sits between these buoys, and where the temperature breaks and color changes are, on the satellite chart for Lake Ontario.
FAQ
Where does this water temperature come from?
From NOAA's National Data Buoy Center (NDBC). Each buoy measures the water temperature near the surface, usually about a meter down, and reports roughly every hour. We pull the latest reading for every buoy off Lake Ontario.
How often does this page update?
Every time you load it. Readings come straight from NOAA and are at most about 30 minutes behind what NOAA has published.
Why is the buoy temperature different from the satellite chart?
A buoy measures one spot a meter or so below the surface. A satellite measures the skin of the water over a wide area. On calm, sunny afternoons the skin can read warmer than the water below it. More in our guide to ground-truthing SST with buoys.
Related: How to use buoy data to ground-truth satellite SST · Ideal water temperatures for pelagic fish