Lake Erie hits bathtub-water status, and it’s barely mid-July
From winter to summer, Lake Erie's water temperature has soared in the blink of an eye, essentially creating bathtub conditions.
The waters of western Lake Erie are sizzling this summer.
A recent reading from the Port Clinton buoy showed a water temperature of 29.0°C at just a one-metre depth, essentially bathtub conditions. That’s unusually warm for early July, especially considering that only six months ago, the lake was more than 80 per cent ice-covered.
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Lake Erie timelines
Feb. 28: 80.3 per cent ice cover
April 23: Ice-free status
July 10: Port Clinton buoy recorded 29.0°C, a similar temperature to the Gulf of Mexico
July 14: Water temperature average reached 25.5°C.
While the temperature is eye-popping, it’s not a record.
Lake Erie is the shallowest of the Great Lakes, meaning it warms (and cools) rapidly. As of July 14, the lake's average surface temperature sat at 25.5°C.
By comparison, during the peak of the 2020 heat wave, that average was a staggering 26.3°C, one of the highest temperature on record.
These warming waters do have some real consequences: Lake Erie’s ecosystem, already sensitive to changes, faces increased risks of algal blooms, including stressed fish populations.
Lake Erie satellite imagery April 20, 2025. (NOAA CoastWatch)
If this is where Lake Erie stands in early July, one can only wonder what later in the summer might bring. If winds remain generally light with mostly clear skies, all-time temperature records above 26 degrees will likely be challenged.
For now, it’s clear: Summer 2025 is turning up the heat on a lake that’s already known to be rather warm.