Great Lakes Forecast
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
940 FZUS63 KMQT 081401 GLFLS Open Lake Forecast for Lake Superior National Weather Service Marquette MI 1001 AM EDT Tue Sep 8 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... This morning, a 29.5 inch low currently over the Canadian Prairies swings northeast toward northern Quebec, deepening to 29.1 by the time it reaches Hudson Bay Wednesday afternoon. This sends a 29.8 inch trough over Lake Superior and drives gusty surface southerly flow on Lake Superior through Tuesday evening, at which point winds shift west with frontal passage. Strong postfrontal westerlies persist until Thursday morning; widespread gale-force winds are anticipated. Ridging to 30.0 inches and subsequent calmer conditions follow until Friday morning, when a trough of 29.3 inches tracks from the Great Plains north toward Hudson Bay. Friday through Saturday morning, a tight pressure gradient between 29.6 and 29.9 inches sits over Lake Superior as the Plains shifts rapidly north, tracking through Minnesota. Expect breezy southerly flow Friday afternoon through Saturday morning as a result of this low`s passage, and strong westerlies throughout the day on Saturday as pressure. Ridging begins to build back in Saturday, reaching 29.9 inches by Sunday morning. LSZ162-082000- Lake Superior west of a line from Saxon Harbor WI to Grand Portage MN beyond 5NM- 1001 AM EDT Tue Sep 8 2026 /901 AM CDT Tue Sep 8 2026/ ...GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... .REST OF TODAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots in the afternoon. A slight chance of showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. .TONIGHT...Southwest winds 20 to 30 knots veering west after midnight. Waves building to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .WEDNESDAY...West gales to 35 knots. Waves building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet, then subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to 20 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .THURSDAY...West winds 5 to 15 knots backing south by mid afternoon. Waves calm to 2 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 to 20 knots increasing to 15 to 25 knots after midnight. Waves building to 1 to 3 feet. .FRIDAY...South gales to 35 knots veering west. A chance of showers, then showers likely. Waves building to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet, then subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. .SATURDAY...West gales to 35 knots diminishing to 20 to 30 knots. Waves building to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet, then subsiding to calm to 2 feet. $$ LSZ263-082000- Lake Superior from Saxon Harbor WI to Upper Entrance to Portage Canal MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian border including Isle Royale National Park- 1001 AM EDT Tue Sep 8 2026 ...GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING... .REST OF TODAY...South winds 20 to 30 knots increasing to gales to 35 knots in the afternoon, then diminishing to 20 to 30 knots late. A chance of showers. Waves 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet, then subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. .TONIGHT...Southwest winds 20 to 30 knots increasing to gales to 35 knots after midnight, then veering west late. Waves building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet. .WEDNESDAY...West gales to 40 knots. Waves building to 8 to 11 feet occasionally to 14 feet, then subsiding to 6 to 9 feet occasionally to 11 feet. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West gales to 35 knots becoming northwest 15 to 25 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. .THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 20 knots backing southwest by mid afternoon. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds 10 to 20 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots after midnight. Waves building to 2 to 4 feet. .FRIDAY...South gales to 40 knots. A chance of showers, then showers likely. Waves building to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .SATURDAY...West gales to 40 knots. Waves building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet, then subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. $$ LSZ264-082000- Lake Superior from Upper Entrance to Portage Canal to Manitou Island MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian Border- 1001 AM EDT Tue Sep 8 2026 ...GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING... .REST OF TODAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to gales to 35 knots in the afternoon, then diminishing to 20 to 30 knots late. Showers likely and a slight chance of thunderstorms by late morning, then a slight chance of showers by mid afternoon. Waves 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet, then subsiding to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet. .TONIGHT...South winds 20 to 30 knots veering southwest after midnight, then becoming west gales to 35 knots late. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms through midnight. Waves subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet, then building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet. .WEDNESDAY...West gales to 40 knots. Waves building to 8 to 12 feet occasionally to 15 feet. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West gales to 35 knots becoming northwest 15 to 25 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. .THURSDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 20 knots becoming southwest 5 to 15 knots by mid afternoon. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 25 knots after midnight. Waves building to 1 to 3 feet. .FRIDAY...South winds 20 to 30 knots increasing to gales to 35 knots. Showers likely. Waves building to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .SATURDAY...West gales to 40 knots. Waves building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet, then subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. $$ LSZ265-082000- Lake Superior West of Line from Manitou Island to Marquette MI Beyond 5NM from shore- 1001 AM EDT Tue Sep 8 2026 ...GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT... .REST OF TODAY...South winds 20 to 30 knots increasing to gales to 35 knots in the afternoon. Showers likely by late morning. A slight chance of thunderstorms. A chance of showers by mid afternoon. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet, then subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .TONIGHT...South winds 20 to 30 knots veering west late. A slight chance of showers through midnight. Waves subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. .WEDNESDAY...West gales to 45 knots. Waves building to 6 to 10 feet occasionally to 13 feet. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West gales to 40 knots becoming northwest 20 to 30 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .THURSDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to 20 knots by mid afternoon. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 25 knots after midnight. Waves building to 1 to 3 feet. .FRIDAY...South winds 20 to 30 knots increasing to gales to 35 knots. Showers likely. Waves building to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .SATURDAY...West gales to 40 knots diminishing to 20 to 30 knots. Waves building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet, then subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. $$ LSZ266-082000- 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- 1001 AM EDT Tue Sep 8 2026 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT... .REST OF TODAY...South winds 20 to 30 knots increasing to gales to 40 knots in the afternoon. Showers likely by late morning. A slight chance of thunderstorms. A chance of showers by mid afternoon. Waves 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet, then subsiding to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet. .TONIGHT...South gales to 35 knots diminishing to 20 to 30 knots after midnight, then veering southwest late. A slight chance of thunderstorms through midnight. A slight chance of showers. Waves building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet, then subsiding to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .WEDNESDAY...West gales to 40 knots. Waves building to 8 to 12 feet occasionally to 15 feet. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West gales to 40 knots becoming northwest 20 to 30 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet. .THURSDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to 20 knots by mid afternoon. Waves subsiding to 1 to 3 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to 15 knots increasing to 15 to 25 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet, then building to 1 to 3 feet. .FRIDAY...South gales to 40 knots. Showers likely. Waves building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet. .SATURDAY...West gales to 40 knots diminishing to 20 to 30 knots. A chance of showers. Waves subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. $$ LSZ267-082000- Lake Superior from Grand Marais MI to Whitefish Point MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian border- 1001 AM EDT Tue Sep 8 2026 ...GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT... .REST OF TODAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots late. A chance of showers. A slight chance of thunderstorms by mid afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. .TONIGHT...South winds 20 to 30 knots veering southwest late. A chance of showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Waves building to 3 to 6 feet occasionally to 8 feet. .WEDNESDAY...West winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to gales to 40 knots in the afternoon. Waves building to 9 to 12 feet occasionally to 15 feet. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...West gales to 40 knots becoming northwest gales to 35 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to 6 to 9 feet occasionally to 11 feet. .THURSDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 knots diminishing to 10 to 20 knots by mid afternoon. Waves subsiding to 2 to 4 feet. .THURSDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 15 knots becoming south 10 to 20 knots after midnight. Waves subsiding to calm to 2 feet. .FRIDAY...South winds 15 to 25 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots. Showers likely. Waves building to 4 to 7 feet occasionally to 9 feet. .SATURDAY...West winds 20 to 30 knots. A chance of showers. Waves building to 5 to 8 feet occasionally to 10 feet, then subsiding to 3 to 5 feet occasionally to 7 feet. $$ LSZ261-082000- MAFOR 0815/ Superior West 11430 11420 11430 12540 12640 11650. A chance of showers late this morning. Waves 1 to 3 feet this afternoon. Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 3 to 5 feet tonight. Waves 3 to 6 feet Wednesday morning. Superior North Central 11456 11450 12430 12540 12650. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 4 to 7 feet this afternoon. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet tonight. Waves 5 to 9 feet Wednesday morning. Superior South Central...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT...11456 13450 11440 11540 11640 11650. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 4 to 7 feet this afternoon. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet tonight. Waves 3 to 6 feet Wednesday morning. Superior East...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT...11430 11446 13440 11540 11530 11640. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 6 feet this afternoon. Waves 4 to 7 feet tonight. Waves 3 to 6 feet Wednesday 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