Lake Erie water temperature by month
Short answer
Averaged across the lake from 1995 to 2025, Lake Erie's surface is warmest in August, about 74.8 °F[1] (23.8 °C[2]), and coldest in February, about 33.1 °F[1] (0.6 °C[2]), according to NOAA GLERL satellite analyses. These are long-term averages, not live readings.
Key numbers
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| August (warmest month) | 74.8 °F[1] / 23.8 °C[2] |
| February (coldest month) | 33.1 °F[1] / 0.6 °C[2] |
| Warmest calendar day (average) | 75.6 °F[1] / 24.2 °C[2] / August 4[1] |
| Coldest calendar day (average) | 32.9 °F[1] / 0.5 °C[2] / February 15[1] |
Month by month
The table gives the average surface temperature for each month, computed from NOAA's daily lake-average values for 1995–2025[1]: lake-wide average, not today's temperature; shallow western waters run warmer in summer.[1,2] The lake warms fastest from May to July and peaks in August. On average the warmest single day of the year falls around August 4[1], at about 75.6 °F[1] (24.2 °C[2]), and the coldest around February 15[1], at about 32.9 °F[1] (0.5 °C[2]).[1]
| Month | Average surface temperature, 1995–2025 |
|---|---|
| January | 35.0 °F[1] (1.7 °C[2]) |
| February | 33.1 °F[1] (0.6 °C[2]) |
| March | 34.3 °F[1] (1.3 °C[2]) |
| April | 40.2 °F[1] (4.6 °C[2]) |
| May | 51.8 °F[1] (11.0 °C[2]) |
| June | 64.7 °F[1] (18.1 °C[2]) |
| July | 73.4 °F[1] (23.0 °C[2]) |
| August | 74.8 °F[1] (23.8 °C[2]) |
| September | 70.6 °F[1] (21.4 °C[2]) |
| October | 61.4 °F[1] (16.3 °C[2]) |
| November | 50.8 °F[1] (10.4 °C[2]) |
| December | 41.2 °F[1] (5.1 °C[2]) |
Lake-wide average, not today's temperature; shallow western waters run warmer in summer.
Data table for this chart
| Month | °F | °C |
|---|---|---|
| January | 35.0 °F | 1.7 °C |
| February | 33.1 °F | 0.6 °C |
| March | 34.3 °F | 1.3 °C |
| April | 40.2 °F | 4.6 °C |
| May | 51.8 °F | 11.0 °C |
| June | 64.7 °F | 18.1 °C |
| July | 73.4 °F | 23.0 °C |
| August | 74.8 °F | 23.8 °C |
| September | 70.6 °F | 21.4 °C |
| October | 61.4 °F | 16.3 °C |
| November | 50.8 °F | 10.4 °C |
| December | 41.2 °F | 5.1 °C |
What the numbers are
NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory produces a daily map of surface temperature for each lake from satellite observations, the Great Lakes Surface Environmental Analysis, and publishes the lake-wide average for every day since 1995.[1] We averaged those daily values by calendar month over the full years 1995 through 2025. A single lake-wide figure hides local differences between the three basins and between shallow water near shore and the open lake. The EPA notes that Lake Erie warms quickly in spring and summer and cools quickly in autumn because it is the shallowest of the five Great Lakes, and Wikipedia's article on the lake adds that its shallowness also makes it the warmest of them.[3,4] Because the GLSEA series begins in 1995, it does not show earlier decades; the averages here describe the recent climate of the lake.
For conditions now
We never report current conditions. For today's beach advisories, bloom status and weather, use the official sources below. NOAA's Great Lakes CoastWatch publishes current satellite temperature maps, and the National Weather Service offices in Cleveland and Buffalo, with Environment Canada for Ontario waters, issue the marine forecasts.
- NOAA Great Lakes CoastWatch (current surface temperature)
- National Weather Service, Cleveland
- National Weather Service, Buffalo
- Environment Canada marine forecasts, Lake Erie
Questions people ask
What is the warmest month for Lake Erie water?
August. From 1995 to 2025 the lake-wide surface averaged about 74.8 °F (23.8 °C) that month, from NOAA GLERL data.
How cold is Lake Erie in winter?
Near freezing. February averages about 33.1 °F (0.6 °C) across the lake, and much of the surface usually freezes.
Are these live water temperatures?
No. They are long-term averages for 1995 to 2025. For conditions now, use NOAA Great Lakes CoastWatch or the National Weather Service marine forecasts.
Related questions
Sources
- GLSEA lake-average daily surface water temperature, Lake Erie, 1995-present (degrees F, all_year_glsea_avg_e_F.csv), NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory. Accessed . Values computed by us from this data.
- GLSEA lake-average daily surface water temperature, Lake Erie, 1995-present (degrees C, all_year_glsea_avg_e_C.csv), NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory. Accessed . Values computed by us from this data.
- Lake Erie | US EPA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed .
- Lake Erie, Wikipedia. Accessed .
Facts as of · page checked · Markdown version
How to cite
Lake Erie Gazetteer, Lake Erie water temperature by month, lakeerie.info/facts/lake-erie-water-temperature-by-month, accessed October 19, 2026.