Great Lakes Forecast
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
637 FZUS63 KMKX 030902 GLFLM OPEN LAKE FORECAST for Lake Michigan National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI 302 AM CST Tue Mar 3 2026 FOR WATERS BEYOND FIVE NAUTICAL MILES OF SHORE ON Lake Michigan. Waves are provided as a range of significant wave heights, which is the average of the highest 1/3 of the wave, along with the average height of the highest 10% of the waves which will occasionally be encountered. .SYNOPSIS... Winds will continue to weaken today into tonight across Lake Michigan, as weak high pressure around 30.3 inches develops over the area. An upper disturbance crossing the region this morning may bring light rain and light freezing rain or drizzle to the southern half of Lake Michigan. Light south to southwesterly winds will continue across the northern half of Lake Michigan into Wednesday, while winds shift out of the east further south in response to developing low pressure around 29.9 inches in the middle Mississippi River Valley. This low will likely pass just to the south of Lake Michigan Wednesday night into Thursday, allowing for east to northeast winds to become established. Rain showers will spread north across the open waters in response to the passing low pressure system later Wednesday night through Thursday. A few thunderstorms are possible over far southern Lake Michigan Thursday. Low pressure around 29.5 inches remains forecast to develop in the central Great Plains Thursday night, and is expected to be somewhere between the Upper Mississippi River Valley and northern Wisconsin by Friday evening. This low will move near or just north of northern Lake Michigan later Friday night into Saturday morning, quickly moving into Quebec by Saturday evening. South to southwest winds will thus steadily increase ahead of the developing and approaching low Friday afternoon into Saturday morning, ultimately veering westerly Saturday afternoon. Winds will be gusty at times during this period, with a few gales possible Friday night into Saturday morning. Widespread rain and embedded thunderstorms will accompany the approaching and passing low Friday through Saturday. LMZ261-362-364-366-563-565-567-868-031630- Lake Michigan from Seul Choix Point to Rock Island Passage 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan South of a line from Seul Choix Point to the Mackinac Bridge and north of a line from Charlevoix MI to South Fox Island 5 NM offshore- Lake Michigan from Charlevoix to Point Betsie MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Point Betsie to Manistee MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Rock Island Passage to Sturgeon Bay WI- Lake Michigan from Sturgeon Bay to Two Rivers WI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Two Rivers to Sheboygan WI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Pentwater to Manistee MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- 302 AM CST Tue Mar 3 2026 SHEBOYGAN WI TO PENTWATER MI NORTH... .TODAY...South winds 10 to 15 kt becoming southwest. Waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 to 2 ft. .TONIGHT...Southwest winds 10 to 15 kt diminishing to 5 to 10 kt. Waves 1 to 2 ft. .WEDNESDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 kt becoming south. Waves 1 ft or less. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 10 kt becoming east. Waves 1 ft or less. .THURSDAY...East winds 10 to 20 kt becoming northeast. Chance of rain. Waves 2 to 4 ft. .THURSDAY NIGHT...Northeast winds 10 to 20 kt becoming east. Waves 2 to 4 ft. .FRIDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 15 kt. Rain. Waves 1 to 3 ft building to 3 to 5 ft. .SATURDAY...Southwest winds to 30 kt becoming west 10 to 20 kt. Chance of rain. Waves 6 to 9 ft occasionally to 12 ft. $$ LMZ080-669-671-673-675-777-779-870-872-874-876-878-031630- Lake Michigan from Michigan City IN to St. Joseph MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Sheboygan to Port Washington WI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Port Washington to North Point Light WI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from North Point Light to Wind Point WI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Wind Point WI to Winthrop Harbor IL 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Winthrop Harbor to Wilmette Harbor IL 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Wilmette Harbor IL to Michigan City IN 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Whitehall to Pentwater MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Grand Haven to Whitehall MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Holland to Grand Haven MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from South Haven to Holland MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from St. Joseph to South Haven MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake- 302 AM CST Tue Mar 3 2026 SHEBOYGAN WI TO PENTWATER MI SOUTH... .TODAY...Southeast winds 5 to 10 kt backing to northeast. Slight chance of rain and light freezing rain this morning, then slight chance of rain this afternoon. Waves 1 to 2 ft. .TONIGHT...Northeast winds 5 to 10 kt. Waves 1 ft or less. .WEDNESDAY...East winds 5 to 10 kt. Waves 1 ft or less. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 10 kt. Chance of rain overnight. Waves 1 to 2 ft. .THURSDAY...East winds 10 to 15 kt. Rain likely. Waves 1 to 3 ft. .THURSDAY NIGHT...North winds 10 to 15 kt. Waves 1 to 3 ft. .FRIDAY...Southeast winds 10 to 20 kt becoming south. Chance of rain. Waves 1 to 3 ft building to 3 to 5 ft. .SATURDAY...Southwest winds to 30 kt becoming west 10 to 20 kt. Chance of rain. Waves 7 to 10 ft occasionally to 13 ft subsiding to 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft. $$ LMZ761-031630- MAFOR 0311/ MICHIGAN NORTH 12410 13510 12500 11600. Waves 1 to 3 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less today. Waves 1 foot or less tonight. MICHIGAN SOUTH 13300 13100 12800. Waves 2 feet or less. $$ Wood Experimental modernized open lake forecast is available online at weather.gov/mkx/glftable Graphical marine forecasts are available online at: weather.gov/greatlakes