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Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America, spanning 14,338,560 acres of fresh water bordered by Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Known for its expansive sandy shores, legendary sportfishing for Chinook salmon and lake trout, and world-class sailing.
This page covers a named shoreline area, not the whole lake. Conditions vary widely across open water, so treat this forecast as local to the coordinates shown and check the official source before heading out.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 6:06 AM CDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Best good fishing window, averaging 89/100 across these hours. Measured water temperature 64°F. Provisional data. Wind 10 mph from the south. Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 59° | 60° | 60° | 61° | 62° | 63° | 64° | 64° | 64° | 66° | 66° | 66° | 67° | 66° | 66° | 65° | 65° | 66° | 65° | 65° | 64° | 64° | 64° | 63° |
| Wind (kts) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Direction | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Gusts (kts) | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 |
| Precip % | 2% | 3% | 5% | 7% | 8% | 12% | 15% | 18% | 27% | 37% | 46% | 35% | 24% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 4% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 6 AM CDT | 59°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 6 mph | 2% | 72% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 7 AM CDT | 60°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 6 mph | 3% | 77% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 8 AM CDT | 60°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 7 mph | 5% | 80% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 9 AM CDT | 61°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 8 mph | 7% | 83% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 10 AM CDT | 62°F | 5 mph SSE (158°) | 9 mph | 8% | 84% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 11 AM CDT | 63°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 10 mph | 12% | 84% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 12 PM CDT | 64°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 12 mph | 15% | 80% | Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 1 PM CDT | 64°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 12 mph | 18% | 75% | Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 2 PM CDT | 64°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 13 mph | 27% | 74% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 3 PM CDT | 66°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 13 mph | 37% | 74% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 4 PM CDT | 66°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 13 mph | 46% | 77% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 5 PM CDT | 66°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 14 mph | 35% | 75% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 6 PM CDT | 67°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 14 mph | 24% | 74% | Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 7 PM CDT | 66°F | 10 mph ESE (113°) | 14 mph | 7% | 55% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 8 PM CDT | 66°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 16 mph | 6% | 45% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 9 PM CDT | 65°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 16 mph | 7% | 25% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 10 PM CDT | 65°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 17 mph | 4% | 18% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 11 PM CDT | 66°F | 15 mph SSE (158°) | 17 mph | 2% | 12% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 12 AM CDT | 65°F | 15 mph SSE (158°) | 16 mph | 1% | 7% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 1 AM CDT | 65°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 16 mph | 1% | 11% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 2 AM CDT | 64°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 16 mph | 1% | 8% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 3 AM CDT | 64°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 1% | 7% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 4 AM CDT | 64°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 1% | 5% | Clear |
| Sat, 5 AM CDT | 63°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 1% | 4% | Clear |
| Sat, 6 AM CDT | 63°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 0% | 12% | Sunny |
Official National Weather Service hourly forecast. Showing 10 of 25 hours. Wind arrows point the way the wind is blowing; the compass point and degrees show where it comes from.
| Period | Overnight October 9, 2026 | Friday October 9, 2026 | Friday Night October 9, 2026 | Saturday October 10, 2026 | Saturday Night October 10, 2026 | Sunday October 11, 2026 | Sunday Night October 11, 2026 | Columbus Day October 12, 2026 | Monday Night October 12, 2026 | Tuesday October 13, 2026 | Tuesday Night October 13, 2026 | Wednesday October 14, 2026 | Wednesday Night October 14, 2026 | Thursday October 15, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 58° | 67° | 63° | 73° | 62° | 66° | 61° | 75° | 64° | 68° | 59° | 64° | 59° | 68° |
| Wind | S 5 mph | SSE 5 to 10 mph | SE 10 to 15 mph | S 10 to 15 mph | SE 10 to 15 mph | ESE 5 to 10 mph | SSE 0 to 5 mph | SSW 5 to 10 mph | W 10 to 15 mph | NNW 15 mph | NE 15 mph | E 10 to 15 mph | ESE 15 to 20 mph | S 15 mph |
| Gusts | 6 mph | 14 mph | 17 mph | 25 mph | 17 mph | 10 mph | 9 mph | 17 mph | 15 mph | 21 mph | 22 mph | 17 mph | 21 mph | 22 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 46% | 24% | 0% | 7% | 7% | 0% | 2% | 38% | 38% | 18% | 30% | 55% | 55% |
| Forecast |
NOAA GLERL GLSEA surface temperature at 41.902, -87.613 · Oct 8, 12:00 PM UTC
Fair for fishing (64/100), from 6 available inputs. Supporting this: Measured water temperature 64°F. Wind 5 mph from the south. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend. Confidence is moderate (84%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Fair for boating (72/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the south. Gusts to 6 mph. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility and conditions, verified water access. Confidence is moderate (84%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Fair for sailing (61/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Gusts are within 1 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. No active official alerts for this lake. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Fair for kayaking (71/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the south. Gusts to 6 mph. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. Confidence is high (90%).
Surface water measured at 64°F. Air and water contrast evaluate recreational immersion comfort.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Lake Michigan offers an inviting freshwater retreat in IL, administered by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Its waters provide ample room for watersports, pontoon cruising, and quiet morning paddle trips along sheltered bays. Staying updated on real-time streamflow and meteorological conditions ensures a smooth trip on the water.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is required for anglers age 16+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Current motorized watercraft registration mandatory. Practice Clean, Drain & Dry protocols: drain all livewells and inspect props before launching. Life jackets required for all passengers.
Public shoreline and boating access managed by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Verify seasonal gate hours, launch fees, and parking rules before travel.
High-speed motorboating, pontoon cruising, wakeboarding, and water skiing across main channels. Target gamefish include Common Carp, Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Bluegill. Morning hours typically provide optimal glassy conditions for kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) touring.
Warm water temperatures, peak swimming, active watersports, and open full-service campgrounds. Highest weekly attendance; plan early arrivals on summer weekends.
Spring pre-spawn and fall feeding transitions create prime trophy angling conditions. Cooler air, lower boat traffic, and vibrant seasonal shoreline foliage.
Mild year-round outdoor climate. Uncrowded waters, active winter bass and crappie fishing, and open year-round boat launch access.
No external source rows are cited by the data currently shown on this page.
Updated
Scores are heuristics, not safety guarantees. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
All telemetry for Lake Michigan is synchronized directly from authorized federal and state monitoring networks (USGS, NWS, NOAA, and state environmental authorities). Observations are strictly instrumented readings — unmonitored sensors are transparently disclosed rather than synthetic estimates.
Last source audit: Oct 9, 6:06 AM CDT