165
FZUS63 KMKX 250838
GLFLM

OPEN LAKE FORECAST for Lake Michigan
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
238 AM CST Sun Jan 25 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...

30.5 inch high pressure is entrenched across northern Wisconsin
this morning, with a band of lake effect snow ongoing over west-
central portions of the open waters. The two features are thus
contributing to east-northeast winds over eastern Lake Michigan
with west-northwest winds further west. The surface pressure drop
affiliated with the lake effect snow band will continue to
sharpen today as a new area of 30.7 inch high pressure builds
into the northern Great Plains, resulting in increasing wind gusts
from late morning into the afternoon hours. Gusts between 25-30
knots are possible over the southern half of the waters, though
they should remain below gale thresholds. Snow will continue
through this afternoon.

Low pressure of 29.5 inches will move from the Appalachian
Mountains into the northeastern United States tonight as 30.7 inch
high pressure builds further into the central and southern Great
Plains. Progression of the two features will maintain breezy
northwest winds over the open waters, with additional periods of
25-30 knot gusts possible into Monday morning across the southern
half of the lake. 30.5 inch high pressure will build into the
Ohio River Valley Monday afternoon and night as 29.8 inch low
pressure attempts to form over Lake Superior, resulting in a west-
southwest wind shift across Lake Michigan. Winds will become
gusty at times Monday night into Tuesday morning, when a few gales
are possible over the southern third of the open waters. While
gales are not expected to be widespread at this time, trends will
continue to be monitored for potential headlines in coming
forecasts.

Winds will trend west-northwesterly Tuesday afternoon and night as
30.4 inch high pressure builds into the northern Great Plains.
Winds will gradually taper Wednesday through Thursday as said area
of high pressure moves into the upper Mississippi River Valley.
Elevated waves and cold temperatures will support moderate to
heavy freezing spray tonight through Tuesday afternoon, with a
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning remaining in effect between 6 PM CST
this evening and 6 PM CST Tuesday.

LMZ261-362-364-366-563-565-567-868-251615-
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-
238 AM CST Sun Jan 25 2026

SHEBOYGAN WI TO PENTWATER MI NORTH...

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING
THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...Northeast winds 10 to 20 kt becoming north. Slight
chance of snow this morning, then chance of snow and slight
chance of light freezing rain this afternoon. Waves 3 to 5 ft.
.TONIGHT...North winds 10 to 20 kt becoming northwest 15 to
25 kt. Chance of snow and slight chance of light freezing rain.
Heavy freezing spray overnight. Waves 3 to 5 ft building to 4 to
7 ft occasionally to 9 ft.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 kt becoming west 10 to 20 kt.
Waves 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft subsiding to 4 to 6 ft
occasionally to 8 ft.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds to 30 kt becoming west. Chance of
snow in the evening. Heavy freezing spray. Waves 6 to 9 ft
occasionally to 12 ft building to 8 to 11 ft occasionally to
14 ft.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds to 30 kt. Heavy freezing spray in the
morning, then freezing spray in the afternoon. Waves 7 to 10 ft
occasionally to 13 ft.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 kt becoming west 10 to
20 kt. Waves 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft subsiding to 4 to
6 ft occasionally to 8 ft.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 10 to 20 kt. Waves 3 to 5 ft.
.THURSDAY...North winds 10 to 20 kt. Waves 4 to 6 ft occasionally
to 8 ft.

$$

LMZ080-669-671-673-675-777-779-870-872-874-876-878-251615-
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-
238 AM CST Sun Jan 25 2026

SHEBOYGAN WI TO PENTWATER MI SOUTH...

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING
THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...Northeast winds 10 to 20 kt becoming north 15 to 25 kt.
Chance of snow this morning, then chance of snow and light
freezing rain likely this afternoon. Waves 3 to 5 ft building to
4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft.
.TONIGHT...North winds 15 to 25 kt becoming northwest. Freezing
spray in the evening, then heavy freezing spray overnight. Chance
of snow and slight chance of light freezing rain. Waves 6 to 9 ft
occasionally to 12 ft.
.MONDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 kt becoming west. Chance of
snow in the morning. Heavy freezing spray in the morning, then
freezing spray in the afternoon. Waves 6 to 9 ft occasionally to
12 ft.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Southwest winds to 30 kt. A few southwest gales to
35 kt possible. Heavy freezing spray. Waves 7 to 10 ft
occasionally to 13 ft building to 8 to 12 ft occasionally to 16
ft.
.TUESDAY...Northwest winds to 30 kt. Heavy freezing spray in the
morning, then freezing spray in the afternoon. Chance of snow.
Waves 8 to 12 ft occasionally to 16 ft.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 kt becoming west 10 to
20 kt. Freezing spray. Waves 6 to 9 ft occasionally to 12 ft
subsiding to 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 to 20 kt becoming northwest. Waves
4 to 6 ft occasionally to 8 ft.
.THURSDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 25 kt diminishing to 10 to
20 kt. Freezing spray. Waves 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft.

$$

LMZ761-251615-
MAFOR 2511/
MICHIGAN NORTH 11810 11120 13820 11830 12732. A chance of snow.
Waves 1 to 3 feet building to 2 to 4 feet today. Waves 2 to 4
feet building to 4 to 7 feet tonight.

MICHIGAN SOUTH 12127 11120 13830 11730 11732. Waves 1 to 3 feet
building to 3 to 6 feet today. Waves 5 to 8 feet tonight.

$$


Quigley

Experimental modernized open lake forecast is available online at
weather.gov/mkx/glftable

Graphical marine forecasts are available online at:
weather.gov/greatlakes