Great Lakes Forecast
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
557 FZUS63 KMQT 110801 GLFLS Open Lake Forecast for Lake Superior National Weather Service Marquette MI 400 AM EDT Fri Sep 11 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... 30.0 inch ridge is exiting eastward as a 29.6 inch trough moves across the Northern Plains. The trough tracks towards Hudson Bay by this afternoon, bringing 29.8 inch troughing to the lake. A cold front and 29.7 inch trough passes through on Saturday with ridging in its wake reaching 30.0 inches by Sunday. This strengthens further to 30.2 inches Monday. LSZ162-112000- Lake Superior west of a line from Saxon Harbor WI to Grand Portage MN beyond 5NM- 400 AM EDT Fri Sep 11 2026 /300 AM CDT Fri Sep 11 2026/ .EARLY THIS MORNING...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Waves 1 to 3 feet. .TODAY...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots in the afternoon, then becoming south 15 to 25 knots late. Waves building to 2 to 4 feet, then subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. .TONIGHT...South winds 15 to 25 knots veering southwest late. Showers through midnight. A chance of thunderstorms. A chance of showers after midnight. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet, then building to 1 to 3 feet. .SATURDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots in the afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet. .SATURDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to 20 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 20 knots backing west by mid afternoon. Waves calm to 2 feet. .SUNDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots veering east after midnight. Waves calm to 2 feet. .MONDAY...Southeast gales to 35 knots veering west. Showers. Waves building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet, then subsiding to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .TUESDAY...West gales to 35 knots becoming northwest 5 to 15 knots. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. $$ LSZ263-112000- Lake Superior from Saxon Harbor WI to Upper Entrance to Portage Canal MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian border including Isle Royale National Park- 400 AM EDT Fri Sep 11 2026 .EARLY THIS MORNING...Southwest winds 20 to 30 knots. Waves 2 to 4 feet. .TODAY...Southwest winds 20 to 30 knots backing south late. Waves building to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet, then subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. .TONIGHT...South winds 15 to 25 knots veering southwest late. A chance of showers through midnight. A chance of thunderstorms. Showers after midnight. Waves building to 2 to 4 feet. .SATURDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots in the afternoon. Waves building to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .SATURDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 20 to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. .SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 20 knots backing west by mid afternoon. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .SUNDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots veering east after midnight. Waves calm to 2 feet. .MONDAY...Southeast gales to 35 knots becoming west gales to 40 knots. A chance of showers. Showers. Waves building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet. .TUESDAY...West gales to 40 knots becoming northwest 15 to 25 knots. Waves building to 6 to 9 feet occasionally to 11 feet, then subsiding to calm to 2 feet. $$ LSZ264-112000- Lake Superior from Upper Entrance to Portage Canal to Manitou Island MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian Border- 400 AM EDT Fri Sep 11 2026 .EARLY THIS MORNING...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet. .TODAY...Southwest winds 20 to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots in the afternoon, then becoming south 10 to 20 knots late. Waves building to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet, then subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. .TONIGHT...South winds 10 to 20 knots increasing to 15 to 25 knots after midnight. A chance of showers through midnight. A chance of thunderstorms. Showers after midnight. Waves building to 2 to 4 feet. .SATURDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 30 knots with a few gale force gusts to 35 knots possible. A slight chance of showers through early afternoon. Waves building to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .SATURDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 20 to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. .SUNDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 20 knots. Waves subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. .SUNDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots veering north after midnight. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .MONDAY...Southeast gales to 40 knots becoming south gales to 45 knots. A chance of showers, then showers. Waves building to 8 to 11 feet occasionally to 14 feet, then subsiding to 6 to 9 feet occasionally to 11 feet. .TUESDAY...West gales to 40 knots becoming northwest 15 to 25 knots. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. $$ LSZ265-112000- Lake Superior West of Line from Manitou Island to Marquette MI Beyond 5NM from shore- 400 AM EDT Fri Sep 11 2026 .EARLY THIS MORNING...Southwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Waves calm to 2 feet building to 1 to 3 feet. .TODAY...Southwest winds 20 to 30 knots becoming south 15 to 25 knots in the afternoon, then increasing to 20 to 30 knots late. Waves building to 2 to 4 feet. .TONIGHT...South winds 20 to 30 knots. A chance of showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Waves subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. .SATURDAY...Southwest winds 20 to 30 knots becoming west to 30 knots with a few gale force gusts to 35 knots possible in the afternoon. Waves building to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 20 to 30 knots veering northwest after midnight. Waves subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. .SUNDAY...Northwest winds 20 to 30 knots. Waves 2 to 4 feet. .SUNDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 20 knots veering north after midnight. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .MONDAY...Southeast gales to 40 knots becoming south gales to 45 knots. Showers. Waves building to 6 to 10 feet occasionally to 13 feet. .TUESDAY...West gales to 45 knots becoming northwest 15 to 25 knots. Waves building to 7 to 10 feet occasionally to 13 feet, then subsiding to calm to 2 feet. $$ LSZ266-112000- 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- 400 AM EDT Fri Sep 11 2026 .EARLY THIS MORNING...South winds 15 to 25 knots. Waves 1 to 3 feet. .TODAY...South winds 20 to 30 knots diminishing to 15 to 25 knots in the afternoon, then increasing to 20 to 30 knots late. Waves building to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .TONIGHT...South winds 20 to 30 knots. A chance of showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Waves building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet, then subsiding to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .SATURDAY...Southwest winds 20 to 30 knots veering west in the afternoon. A slight chance of thunderstorms through early afternoon. A slight chance of showers. Waves subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 20 to 30 knots veering northwest after midnight. Waves building to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .SUNDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots. Waves subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .SUNDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 20 knots becoming north 5 to 15 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .MONDAY...Southeast gales to 40 knots becoming south gales to 45 knots. A chance of showers, then showers. Waves building to 9 to 12 feet occasionally to 15 feet. .TUESDAY...West gales to 45 knots becoming northwest 20 to 30 knots. Waves subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. $$ LSZ267-112000- Lake Superior from Grand Marais MI to Whitefish Point MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian border- 400 AM EDT Fri Sep 11 2026 .EARLY THIS MORNING...South winds 10 to 20 knots. Waves calm to 2 feet building to 1 to 3 feet. .TODAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots late. Waves building to 2 to 4 feet. .TONIGHT...South winds 20 to 30 knots. A slight chance of showers after midnight. Waves building to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .SATURDAY...South winds 20 to 30 knots veering west in the afternoon. A slight chance of thunderstorms through early afternoon. A chance of showers. Waves subsiding to 2 to 4 feet, then building to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .SATURDAY NIGHT...West winds 20 to 30 knots veering northwest after midnight. Waves building to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .SUNDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots by mid afternoon. Waves building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet, then subsiding to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .SUNDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots becoming north 5 to 15 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .MONDAY...Southeast winds 15 to 25 knots becoming south gales to 40 knots. A chance of showers, then showers. Waves building to 7 to 11 feet occasionally to 14 feet. .TUESDAY...West gales to 40 knots becoming northwest 15 to 25 knots. Waves building to 9 to 12 feet occasionally to 15 feet, then subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. $$ LSZ261-111400- MAFOR 1109/ Superior West 13530 11520 12420 11436 11530. A chance of thunderstorms tonight. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet, then subsiding to 1 to 3 feet today. Waves 1 to 3 feet tonight. Superior North Central 11530 12540 11430 13420 11436. A chance of thunderstorms tonight. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet, then subsiding to 2 to 4 feet today. Waves 2 to 4 feet tonight. Superior South Central 11530 13430 14440. A chance of showers tonight. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet today. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet tonight. Superior East 11420 13430 13440 11430. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet today. Waves 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