Great Lakes Forecast
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
300 FZUS63 KMQT 120802 GLFLS Open Lake Forecast for Lake Superior National Weather Service Marquette MI 401 AM EDT Tue May 12 2026 For waters beyond 5 nautical miles of shore on Lake Superior. Waves are the significant wave height - the average of the highest 1/3 of the wave spectrum. Occasional wave height is the average of the highest 1/10 of the wave spectrum. .SYNOPSIS... A 29.7 inch Clipper will move across Upper Michigan through this evening. As the Clipper departs eastward early Wednesday, ridging moves back over Lake Superior, building to 30.1 inches Wednesday night into Thursday. This ridging is pressed southeast to the Lower Great Lakes late Thursday into Friday while a 29.1 inch low emanates off the Northern Rockies. This low is expected to bring troughing of 29.6 inches over Lake Superior on Friday and persisting through Saturday, followed by a 29.8 inch trough on Sunday. LSZ162-122000- Lake Superior west of a line from Saxon Harbor WI to Grand Portage MN beyond 5NM- 401 AM EDT Tue May 12 2026 /301 AM CDT Tue May 12 2026/ .EARLY THIS MORNING...East winds 10 to 20 knots. Rain showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet. .TODAY...East winds 10 to 20 knots backing north late. A chance of rain showers. Waves building to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet, then subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. .TONIGHT...North winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest 10 to 20 knots after midnight, then diminishing to 5 to 15 knots late. A slight chance of rain showers. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots backing west in the afternoon. Waves calm to 2 feet. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...North winds 5 to 15 knots veering east after midnight. Waves calm to 2 feet. .THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 10 to 20 knots by mid afternoon. Waves calm to 2 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 to 20 knots becoming south 20 to 30 knots after midnight. Rain showers likely. Waves building to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .FRIDAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots veering west. Waves subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. .SATURDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northeast 10 to 20 knots. Waves building to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet, then subsiding to calm to 2 feet. $$ LSZ263-122000- Lake Superior from Saxon Harbor WI to Upper Entrance to Portage Canal MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian border including Isle Royale National Park- 401 AM EDT Tue May 12 2026 .EARLY THIS MORNING...Southeast winds 10 to 20 knots. A chance of rain showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet. .TODAY...Southeast winds 10 to 20 knots increasing to 15 to 25 knots in the afternoon, then backing north late. Rain showers through early afternoon, then a chance of rain showers by mid afternoon. Waves building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet, then subsiding to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .TONIGHT...North winds 15 to 25 knots becoming northwest 10 to 20 knots late. A slight chance of rain showers through midnight. Waves subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. .WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots backing west late. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southeast less than 10 knots after midnight. Waves calm to 2 feet. .THURSDAY...East winds less than 10 knots increasing to 10 to 20 knots by mid afternoon. Waves calm to 2 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south 20 to 30 knots after midnight. Rain showers likely after midnight. Waves building to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots becoming west 20 to 30 knots. Waves subsiding to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .SATURDAY...West gales to 35 knots becoming east 10 to 20 knots. Waves building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet, then subsiding to calm to 2 feet. $$ LSZ264-122000- Lake Superior from Upper Entrance to Portage Canal to Manitou Island MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian Border- 401 AM EDT Tue May 12 2026 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON... .EARLY THIS MORNING...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots. A slight chance of rain showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .TODAY...Southeast winds 20 to 30 knots increasing to gales to 35 knots in the afternoon, then diminishing to 20 to 30 knots late. Rain showers. A slight chance of snow showers by mid afternoon. Waves building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet. .TONIGHT...Northeast winds 15 to 25 knots backing north after midnight. A slight chance of snow showers through midnight. A chance of rain showers. Waves subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 20 knots. Waves subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 20 knots becoming north 5 to 15 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .THURSDAY...East winds less than 10 knots becoming southeast 10 to 20 knots by mid afternoon. Waves calm to 2 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south 20 to 30 knots after midnight. A chance of rain showers after midnight. Waves building to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .FRIDAY...South winds 20 to 30 knots veering southwest. A chance of rain showers. Waves building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet, then subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .SATURDAY...West gales to 35 knots becoming northeast 5 to 15 knots. Waves building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet, then subsiding to calm to 2 feet. $$ LSZ265-122000- Lake Superior West of Line from Manitou Island to Marquette MI Beyond 5NM from shore- 401 AM EDT Tue May 12 2026 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON... ...GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... .EARLY THIS MORNING...South winds 20 to 30 knots. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .TODAY...Southeast winds 20 to 30 knots increasing to gales to 35 knots in the afternoon, then diminishing to 20 to 30 knots late. Rain showers. Waves building to 4 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet. .TONIGHT...North winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots after midnight. A chance of rain showers. Waves subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet, then building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet. .WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 20 to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots late. Waves subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to 15 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .THURSDAY...East winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 10 to 20 knots by mid afternoon. Waves building to 1 to 3 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 20 to 30 knots veering south after midnight. A chance of rain showers after midnight. Waves building to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .FRIDAY...South winds 20 to 30 knots veering west. A chance of rain showers. Waves building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet, then subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .SATURDAY...West gales to 35 knots becoming east 10 to 20 knots. Waves building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet, then subsiding to calm to 2 feet. $$ LSZ266-122000- Lake Superior East of a line from Manitou Island to Marquette MI and West of a line from Grand Marais MI to the US/Canadian Border Beyond 5NM from shore- 401 AM EDT Tue May 12 2026 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON... ...GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... .EARLY THIS MORNING...South winds 20 to 30 knots. Waves 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .TODAY...South winds 20 to 30 knots becoming southeast gales to 35 knots in the afternoon, then diminishing to 20 to 30 knots late. Rain showers. Waves building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet. .TONIGHT...East winds 20 to 30 knots backing north after midnight. Rain showers likely through midnight, then a chance of rain showers after midnight. Waves subsiding to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet, then building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet. .WEDNESDAY...North winds 20 to 30 knots backing northwest in the afternoon. A slight chance of rain showers through early afternoon. Waves subsiding to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming north 5 to 15 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. .THURSDAY...North winds less than 10 knots becoming southeast 10 to 20 knots by mid afternoon. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south gales to 35 knots after midnight. A chance of rain showers after midnight. Waves building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet. .FRIDAY...South gales to 40 knots. A chance of rain showers. Waves building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet, then subsiding to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .SATURDAY...West gales to 35 knots becoming northwest 10 to 20 knots. Waves building to 6 to 9 feet occasionally to 11 feet, then subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. $$ LSZ267-122000- Lake Superior from Grand Marais MI to Whitefish Point MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian border- 401 AM EDT Tue May 12 2026 .EARLY THIS MORNING...Southeast winds 10 to 20 knots. Waves calm to 2 feet building to 1 to 3 feet. .TODAY...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots in the afternoon. Rain showers. Waves building to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .TONIGHT...Southeast winds 20 to 30 knots becoming northeast 15 to 25 knots after midnight, then backing north late. Rain showers likely. Waves building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet, then subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. .WEDNESDAY...North winds 20 to 30 knots backing northwest in the afternoon. A slight chance of rain showers through early afternoon. Waves 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...North winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to 20 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. .THURSDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots backing northwest by mid afternoon. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to 25 knots after midnight. Waves building to 2 to 4 feet. .FRIDAY...South winds 20 to 30 knots. A chance of rain showers. Waves building to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .SATURDAY...West gales to 35 knots becoming northwest 10 to 20 knots. Waves building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet, then subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. $$ LSZ261-121400- MAFOR 1209/ Superior West 12326 11220 11120 11820 12830 11720. Waves 2 to 4 feet. Superior North Central...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT...11330 11346 12356 11346 11120 12830. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 5 to 8 feet today. Waves 5 to 8 feet tonight. Superior South Central...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT...11440 11346 12356 11346 11230 11830 11840. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 5 to 8 feet today. Waves 4 to 7 feet, then 5 to 7 feet tonight. Superior East...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT...12330 11336 13346 11236 11136. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 6 feet today. Waves 5 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet tonight. $$ WFO MQT Experimental modernized open lake forecast is available online at weather.gov/mqt/glftable Graphical marine forecasts are available online at: weather.gov/greatlakes