Great Lakes Forecast
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
916 FZUS63 KMQT 311501 GLFLS Open Lake Forecast for Lake Superior National Weather Service Marquette MI 1000 AM EST Wed Dec 31 2025 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... As a 28.2 inch low retrogrades into Hudson Bay today, a 30.7 inch ridge builds from the Canadian Prairies into the upper Mississippi Valley. The ridge weakens to 30.2 inches through Thursday, but the pattern remains persistent into Friday. Weak ridging of 30.0 inches eventually pushes into Lake Superior by Saturday, before a parent high of 30.3 inches moves into the Upper Great Lakes by Sunday. LSZ162-312100- Lake Superior west of a line from Saxon Harbor WI to Grand Portage MN beyond 5NM- 1000 AM EST Wed Dec 31 2025 /900 AM CST Wed Dec 31 2025/ .REST OF TODAY...North winds 20 to 30 knots backing northwest. Waves 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .TONIGHT...Northwest winds 20 to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots by midnight. Waves 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .THURSDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. A slight chance of snow showers. Waves subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots. A slight chance of snow showers in the evening. Waves subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. .FRIDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots. Waves building to 2 to 4 feet. .FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 20 knots diminishing to 5 to 15 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .SATURDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots veering northwest. Waves calm to 2 feet. .SUNDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves calm to 2 feet. Note, wave height forecasts are for ice free areas. $$ LSZ263-312100- Lake Superior from Saxon Harbor WI to Upper Entrance to Portage Canal MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian border including Isle Royale National Park- 1000 AM EST Wed Dec 31 2025 ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... .REST OF TODAY...North winds 20 to 30 knots backing northwest by late morning, then increasing to 30 knots with a few gale force gusts to 35 knots possible by mid afternoon. A chance of snow showers late in the morning. Heavy freezing spray. Waves 4 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet, then subsiding to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet. .TONIGHT...Northwest winds to 30 knots with a few gale force gusts to 35 knots possible diminishing to 20 to 30 knots by midnight. Heavy freezing spray. Waves subsiding to 4 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet. .THURSDAY...Northwest winds 20 to 30 knots backing west. Heavy freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves subsiding to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 20 to 30 knots veering northwest after midnight. Freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet. .FRIDAY...Northwest winds 20 to 30 knots backing west in the afternoon. Freezing spray. Waves subsiding to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet, then building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet. .FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 20 to 30 knots diminishing to 10 to 20 knots after midnight. Freezing spray in the evening. Waves subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. .SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 20 knots. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .SUNDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots backing west. A chance of snow showers. Waves calm to 2 feet. Note, wave height forecasts are for ice free areas. $$ LSZ264-312100- Lake Superior from Upper Entrance to Portage Canal to Manitou Island MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian Border- 1000 AM EST Wed Dec 31 2025 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... .REST OF TODAY...Northwest gales to 35 knots. Heavy freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves 6 to 9 feet occasionally to 11 feet building to 8 to 11 feet occasionally to 14 feet. .TONIGHT...Northwest gales to 35 knots. A slight chance of snow showers in the evening. Heavy freezing spray. Waves subsiding to 7 to 10 feet occasionally to 13 feet. .THURSDAY...Northwest gales to 35 knots backing west. Heavy freezing spray. A slight chance of snow showers in the afternoon. Waves subsiding to 6 to 9 feet occasionally to 11 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...West gales to 35 knots veering northwest after midnight. Heavy freezing spray. A slight chance of snow showers. Waves subsiding to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet, then building to 6 to 9 feet occasionally to 11 feet. .FRIDAY...Northwest gales to 35 knots. Heavy freezing spray. Waves subsiding to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet. .FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest gales to 35 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots after midnight. Freezing spray. Waves subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .SATURDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 20 knots. Waves subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. .SUNDAY...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots backing west. A chance of snow showers. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet, then building to 1 to 3 feet. Note, wave height forecasts are for ice free areas. $$ LSZ265-312100- Lake Superior West of Line from Manitou Island to Marquette MI Beyond 5NM from shore- 1000 AM EST Wed Dec 31 2025 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... .REST OF TODAY...Northwest gales to 40 knots. Heavy freezing spray. Snow showers likely late in the morning. A chance of snow showers in the afternoon. Waves 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet building to 8 to 11 feet occasionally to 14 feet. .TONIGHT...Northwest gales to 40 knots. Heavy freezing spray. A slight chance of snow showers. Waves subsiding to 6 to 9 feet occasionally to 11 feet, then building to 7 to 10 feet occasionally to 13 feet. .THURSDAY...Northwest gales to 40 knots backing west. Heavy freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves subsiding to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...West gales to 35 knots veering northwest after midnight. Freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet. .FRIDAY...Northwest gales to 40 knots. Heavy freezing spray. A slight chance of snow showers. Waves 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet. .FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest gales to 35 knots diminishing to 20 to 30 knots after midnight. Freezing spray. Waves subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .SATURDAY...Northwest winds 20 to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .SUNDAY...West winds 10 to 20 knots. A chance of snow showers. Waves calm to 2 feet. Note, wave height forecasts are for ice free areas. $$ LSZ266-312100- 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- 1000 AM EST Wed Dec 31 2025 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... .REST OF TODAY...Northwest gales to 45 knots. Heavy freezing spray. Snow showers likely. Waves 6 to 9 feet occasionally to 11 feet building to 11 to 15 feet occasionally to 19 feet. .TONIGHT...Northwest gales to 45 knots. Heavy freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves subsiding to 10 to 14 feet occasionally to 18 feet. .THURSDAY...Northwest gales to 35 knots backing west by mid afternoon. Heavy freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves subsiding to 9 to 12 feet occasionally to 15 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...West gales to 35 knots veering northwest after midnight. Freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves subsiding to 8 to 11 feet occasionally to 14 feet. .FRIDAY...Northwest gales to 35 knots. Freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves building to 9 to 12 feet occasionally to 15 feet. .FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest gales to 35 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots after midnight. Freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves subsiding to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet. .SATURDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 20 knots backing west. A chance of snow showers. Waves subsiding to 1 to 3 feet, then building to 2 to 4 feet. Note, wave height forecasts are for ice free areas. $$ LSZ267-312100- Lake Superior from Grand Marais MI to Whitefish Point MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian border- 1000 AM EST Wed Dec 31 2025 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... ...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... .REST OF TODAY...Northwest gales to 35 knots veering north by late morning, then becoming northwest gales to 40 knots by mid afternoon. Heavy freezing spray. Snow showers. Waves 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet building to 10 to 14 feet occasionally to 18 feet. .TONIGHT...Northwest gales to 40 knots. Heavy freezing spray. Snow showers likely. Waves building to 11 to 15 feet occasionally to 19 feet, then subsiding to 10 to 14 feet occasionally to 18 feet. .THURSDAY...Northwest gales to 35 knots becoming west gales to 40 knots by mid afternoon. Heavy freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. A slight chance of sleet in the afternoon. Waves subsiding to 9 to 12 feet occasionally to 15 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...West gales to 35 knots veering northwest after midnight. Freezing spray. Snow showers likely. Waves subsiding to 8 to 11 feet occasionally to 14 feet. .FRIDAY...Northwest gales to 35 knots. Freezing spray. A chance of snow showers in the morning. Snow showers likely in the afternoon. Waves building to 9 to 12 feet occasionally to 15 feet. .FRIDAY NIGHT...Northwest gales to 35 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots after midnight. Freezing spray. Snow showers likely in the evening. A chance of snow showers after midnight. Waves subsiding to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet. .SATURDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Freezing spray. A chance of snow showers. Waves subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 20 knots backing west. A chance of snow showers. Waves subsiding to 1 to 3 feet, then building to 2 to 4 feet. Note, wave height forecasts are for ice free areas. $$ LSZ261-312100- MAFOR 3116/ Superior West...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT...14740 11730 12740 11730. Waves 3 to 6 feet. Superior North Central...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT...16752. A chance of snow showers this afternoon. Waves 6 to 10 feet this afternoon. Waves 7 to 11 feet tonight and Thursday morning. Superior South Central...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT...11757 15752 11752. Waves 7 to 10 feet building to 9 to 13 feet this afternoon. Waves 9 to 13 feet tonight and Thursday morning. Superior East...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT...14757 11757 13752. Waves 6 to 9 feet building to 10 to 13 feet this afternoon. Waves 10 to 14 feet tonight and Thursday morning. $$ 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