Nearshore Marine Zone Forecast
Select a Lake Ontario nearshore zone (within 5 NM of shore).
Small Craft Advisory
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Today
Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west. A chance of showers and thunderstorms late. Waves 2 feet or less.
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Tonight
West winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers in the evening. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 6 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet.
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Monday
North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest 5 to 15 knots. Sunny. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to 2 feet. Waves occasionally around 6 feet.
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Monday Night
Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming southeast. Mainly clear. Waves 1 foot or less.
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Tuesday
South winds 10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers tuesday night. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
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Wednesday
South winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast. A chance of showers during the day. Waves 1 foot or less.
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Thursday
East winds 10 knots or less becoming north 10 to 15 knots. A chance of showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
Open Lake Forecast (beyond 5 NM of shore)
Open Lake Forecast for Lake Ontario
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1001 AM EDT Sun Sep 13 2026
For waters beyond five nautical miles of shore on Lake Ontario
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.
.SYNOPSIS...A cold front moves eastward across the lake today.
Behind the cold front, a ridge averaging 30.2 inches will slide
eastward across the Lower Great Lakes through Monday. The ridge
should exit toward New England on Tuesday and allow a warm front to
sweep northeastward across the lake. A cold front should sweep
eastward across the lake on Wednesday and be followed by a ridge
averaging 30.1 inches and building from the Upper Midwest through
Thursday.
LOZ062-132100-
Lake Ontario open waters from the Niagara River to Hamlin Beach-
1001 AM EDT Sun Sep 13 2026
.THIS AFTERNOON...West winds 5 to 15 knots. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of showers
late in the evening. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west less than
10 knots. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.MONDAY NIGHT...West winds 10 knots or less becoming south 10 to
15 knots. Waves 2 feet or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest. Showers
likely Tuesday night. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast.
Showers likely during the day. Waves 2 feet or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. A chance
of showers. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
$$
LOZ063>065-132100-
Lake Ontario open waters from Hamlin Beach to the Saint Lawrence
River-
1001 AM EDT Sun Sep 13 2026
.THIS AFTERNOON...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. A
chance of showers late. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TONIGHT...West winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest. A chance
of showers late in the evening. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to
3 to 6 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest and
diminishing to 5 to 10 knots. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to
3 feet.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 knots or less becoming south
10 to 15 knots. Waves 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots. Showers likely Tuesday
night. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast.
Showers likely during the day, then a chance of showers Wednesday
night. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. A chance of
showers. Waves 2 feet or less.
$$
LOZ061-132100-
MAFOR 1315/
ONTARIO WEST 1/2 11600 12610 13720 12810. Waves 2 feet or less
this afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet
tonight. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet Monday
morning.
ONTARIO EAST 1/2 11500 11600 11610 13720 11820 11810. A chance of
showers this evening. Waves 1 to 3 feet this afternoon. Waves 1
to 3 feet building to 3 to 6 feet tonight. Waves 3 to 5 feet
subsiding to 2 to 4 feet Monday morning.
$$