Lake Erie Surface Temperatures

Lake Erie temperatures fluctuate seasonally with the highest average temperatures occurring in the summer and fall and the coldest temperatures occurring in the winter and spring. Because of the higher heat capacity of water, the lake stays warmer in the fall as air temperature falls, which leads to increased evaporation due to the greater difference in temperature between the air and water. On the other hand, it takes the lake longer than the air to heat up in the spring because of its heat capacity, leading to the lake staying cold through the spring as air temperatures rise. The data shown on this page represents long-term trends and projections for lake surface temperatures in Lake Erie compiled by GLISA. Don't see the temperature data you need? Contact us!