Marine forecast
Dunkirk to Buffalo, NY
- current wind
- 16 kt SW
- Gusts
- 19 kt
- Seas
- 3.3 ft
- Period
- 4 sec
- Air
- 70°F
Observed Tue 3:00 PM | LEZ041
- Gusts now
- 19 kt
- Seas now
- 3.3 ft · 4 sec
- Air
- 70°F
- Water
- 63°F
- 72-hr peak
- 26 kt
In brief
At 3:00 pm EDT on Oct 13, 2026, NDBC station 45142 (Port Colborne, 11 miles away) measured wind from the SW at 16 kt, gusting to 19 kt, with seas of 3.3 ft. The NWS forecast for Dunkirk to Buffalo, NY issued at 12:18 pm EDT on Oct 13, 2026 reads, for this afternoon: “Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Sunny.” A Small Craft Advisory is in effect until Wed 2:00 AM.
Source: National Weather Service Buffalo NY forecast; NDBC observations
Wind forecast · ktPeak 26 kt
Seas forecast · ftPeak 6 ft
Marine advisory
Small Craft Advisory in effect for Dunkirk to Buffalo until Wed 2:00 AM.
Full text of this small craft advisory
* WHAT...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots and waves 3 to 6 feet expected. * WHERE...The nearshore waters of Lake Erie from Ripley to Buffalo. * WHEN...Until 2 AM EDT Wednesday. * IMPACTS...Winds and/or waves will cause hazardous conditions that could capsize or damage small craft.
NWS marine forecast
| Period | Forecast |
|---|---|
| This Afternoon | Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet. |
| Tonight | Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming west 10 to 15 knots. Mainly clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet. |
| Wednesday | West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A chance of showers in the morning. Waves 2 feet or less. |
| Wednesday Night | Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast. Mostly cloudy. Waves 2 feet or less. |
| Thursday | East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south. Showers Thursday night. Waves 2 feet or less. |
| Friday | West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest to 30 knots. Showers. Waves 3 to 5 feet building to 6 to 10 feet. Waves occasionally around 13 feet. |
| Saturday | Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming southwest. Becoming mainly clear. Waves 3 to 6 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. Waves occasionally around 7 feet. |
Issued Tue 12:18 PM by Buffalo NY (product NSHBUF).
Recent buoy conditions
| Time | Wind | Gust | Seas | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 3:00 PM | 16 kt SW | 19 kt | 3.3 ft | 63°F |
| Tue 2:00 PM | 16 kt SW | 19 kt | 3.3 ft | 63°F |
| Tue 1:00 PM | 16 kt SW | 19 kt | 2.6 ft | 63°F |
| Tue 12:00 PM | 16 kt SW | 18 kt | 2.6 ft | 63°F |
| Tue 11:00 AM | 12 kt SSW | 14 kt | 2.3 ft | 63°F |
| Tue 10:00 AM | 12 kt SSW | 14 kt | 2.3 ft | 63°F |
| Tue 9:00 AM | 12 kt S | 14 kt | 2.6 ft | 62°F |
| Tue 8:00 AM | 14 kt S | 16 kt | 3.0 ft | 62°F |
| Tue 7:00 AM | 16 kt SSW | 18 kt | 3.3 ft | 62°F |
| Tue 6:00 AM | 16 kt WSW | 19 kt | 2.6 ft | 62°F |
| Tue 5:00 AM | 14 kt SSW | 16 kt | 2.6 ft | 62°F |
| Tue 4:00 AM | 12 kt SSW | 14 kt | 2.3 ft | 62°F |
Observed Tue 3:00 PM at NDBC buoy 45142 (Port Colborne), 11.2 miles away.
Frequently asked questions
What is the marine forecast for Dunkirk to Buffalo today?
This Afternoon: Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Sunny. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet.
Is there a small craft advisory for Dunkirk to Buffalo?
Yes — small craft advisory in effect until Wed 2:00 AM.
How high are the waves at Dunkirk to Buffalo right now?
Seas are running 3.3 ft at a 4-second period, measured at NDBC buoy 45142 Tue 3:00 PM, 11.2 miles from this zone. The forecast peaks at 6.0 ft Fri 2 PM.
What is the water temperature at Dunkirk to Buffalo?
The nearest buoy read 63°F (17°C) at Tue 3:00 PM. Sea surface temperature at a single buoy can differ by several degrees from the water at a beach or in a shallow bay nearby.
What do the wind speeds in knots mean?
One knot is 1.15 mph. The National Weather Service issues a small craft advisory for sustained winds of roughly 22–33 knots or hazardous seas, a gale warning at 34–47 knots, and a storm warning at 48 knots and above. Exact advisory thresholds vary by forecast office and by water body — a bay reaches dangerous chop at a lower wind speed than open ocean.
Where does this forecast come from?
The forecast text is the National Weather Service's own marine bulletin for zone LEZ041, issued by Buffalo NY, reproduced in full. The wind and seas charts are drawn from the NWS gridded forecast for a point inside the zone. Observations come from the nearest reporting NDBC buoy. We are not affiliated with NOAA or the National Weather Service.
Forecast: NOAA/NWS product NSHBUF, issued Tue 12:18 PM. Observations: NOAA National Data Buoy Center station 45142, read Tue 3:00 PM. Retrieved Oct 13, 3:42 PM. Conditions offshore change faster than any page can be rebuilt, so check the current NWS bulletin and your own instruments before going out.