Buffalo Weather

The Buffalo area experiences a fairly humid, continental-type climate, but with a definite maritime flavour due to strong modification from the Great Lakes.

The effect of below-freezing winds blowing across the warmer water produces snow in amounts higher than in most northern states. The lake effect also produces a somewhat longer winter season, but additionally, it contributes to frequent thaws. The same winds over Lake Erie create cool breezes in summer, which arrive suddenly in mid-June.

Summer

Overall, Buffalo has the sunniest and driest summers of any major city in the Northeast, with enough rain to keep vegetation green and lush. Sunshine is plentiful, temperatures are warm and humidity levels are moderate. Most of the rainfall occurs at night.

The lake modifies the extreme heat that approaches from the Ohio Valley, but there can still be periods of uncomfortably warm and humid weather during summer. August usually turns more showery and humid, as the lake is warmer and thunderstorms are often a feature of late summer in Buffalo.

Winter

Winters are generally cloudy, cold and snowy, but are changeable and include frequent thaws and rain as well. Snow covers the ground more often than not from Christmas into early March, and over half of the annual snowfall comes from the lake-effect process and is very localised. 

Snow can start falling as early as mid-November, peaks in December, then virtually halts after Lake Erie freezes in mid to late January. The area does not experience many heavy snowstorms, because the systems usually pass well to the east.

Spring and autumn
Spring comes slowly to the Buffalo area. The ice pack on Lake Erie does not usually disappear until mid-April and the lake remains chilly through most of May. Areas near the lake shore, including the city of Buffalo, experience more sunshine and fewer thunderstorms than inland areas. 

Autumn tends to be pleasant, but rather brief. September and October are usually fairly calm months although the first frosts can be expected in late September over interior sections, but not until mid-October in the Buffalo area.

Cold fronts from Canada become common in late October and as the cold air passes over the warmer Great lakes, cloud cover increases drastically.

Average Temperature (°C)

30 22 15 8 0

Jan 0.8

Feb 3.7

Mar 8.2

Apr 13.9

May 18.8

Jun 24.7

Jul 27.8

Aug 27.1

Sep 22.3

Oct 15.7

Nov 7.7

Dec 2.2

Rainfall (mm)

110 82 55 28 0

Jan 16.6

Feb 27.2

Mar 41.6

Apr 55.8

May 102.2

Jun 90.4

Jul 71.6

Aug 70.6

Sep 66.6

Oct 49.7

Nov 32.9

Dec 22.7