Loading page content…
Loading page content…
Loading lake conditions…
Official National Weather Service (NWS) point forecast and real-time wind conditions for Lake Michigan - Illinois Shoreline (Illinois). 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines, peak gusts, watercraft recreation safety thresholds, and 7-day marine outlook.
Today: High 68°F · Low 57°F
Peak gusts: 12 mph · Lake surface chop expected
Humidity: 83% · Barometer: 30.09 inHg
Live hydrological sensor reading for Lake Michigan - Illinois Shoreline.
Excellent for boating (98/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the south. Gusts to 5 mph. 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.
Excellent for fishing (90/100), from 6 available inputs. Supporting this: Measured water temperature 64°F. Wind 5 mph from the south. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend. Confidence is moderate (76%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Excellent for kayaking (97/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the south. Gusts to 5 mph. Confidence is high (90%).
Good for swimming (75/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. 1% chance of precipitation. Confidence is moderate (81%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
| Time | Air Temp | Wind (mph) | Direction | Peak Gusts | Rain Chance | Sky & Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 AM | 60°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 6 mph | 2% | Partly Cloudy |
| 2 AM | 59°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 6 mph | 2% | Partly Cloudy |
| 3 AM | 58°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 6 mph | 2% | Partly Cloudy |
| 4 AM | 57°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 6 mph | 2% | Partly Cloudy |
| 5 AM | 57°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 6 mph | 2% | Partly Cloudy |
| 6 AM | 57°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 6 mph | 5% | Mostly Sunny |
| 7 AM | 58°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 6 mph | 8% | Partly Sunny |
| 8 AM | 59°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 7 mph | 11% | Partly Sunny |
| 9 AM | 60°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 8 mph | 17% | Isolated Rain Showers |
| 10 AM | 63°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 9 mph | 23% | Isolated Rain Showers |
| 11 AM | 65°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 10 mph | 23% | Isolated Rain Showers |
| 12 PM | 66°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 12 mph | 15% | Isolated Rain Showers |
| 1 PM | 67°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 12 mph | 22% | Isolated Rain Showers |
| 2 PM | 67°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 13 mph | 29% | Scattered Rain Showers |
| 3 PM | 68°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 13 mph | 33% | Scattered Rain Showers |
| 4 PM | 68°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 13 mph | 46% | Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms |
| 5 PM | 68°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 14 mph | 37% | Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms |
| 6 PM | 68°F | 10 mph | SE | ⚡ 14 mph | 22% | Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| 7 PM | 67°F | 15 mph | SE | ⚡ 15 mph | 7% | Partly Cloudy |
| 8 PM | 66°F | 15 mph | SE | ⚡ 16 mph | 5% | Partly Cloudy |
| 9 PM | 66°F | 15 mph | SE | ⚡ 16 mph | 0% | Mostly Clear |
| 10 PM | 67°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 16 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 11 PM | 67°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 16 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 12 AM | 67°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 16 mph | 0% | Mostly Clear |
Mirror-like to gentle rippled water. Optimal conditions for paddleboarding, kayaking, swimming, and beginner water skiing or wakeboarding.
Pleasant breeze with small wavelets. Great for sailing, pleasure cruising, pontoon boats, and trolling for trout and bass.
Moderate waves with whitecaps likely. Requires skilled boat handling; kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards should stay close to sheltered bays.
Steep waves, cold spray, and hazardous open water. Avoid small craft voyages. Always check official National Weather Service lake wind advisories.
Sunny, with a high near 69. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunny, with a high near 68. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunny. High near 68, with temperatures falling to around 66 in the afternoon. North wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Sunny. High near 68, with temperatures falling to around 66 in the afternoon. North wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Mostly clear, with a low around 56. South southeast wind 0 to 5 mph.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. South wind around 5 mph.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. South wind around 5 mph.
Scattered rain showers between 9am and 4pm, then scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm. Mostly clear, with a low around 63. South southeast wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. South wind 10 to 15 mph.
A slight chance of rain showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. South southeast wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
A slight chance of rain showers before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 68. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 61.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 74.
Lake Michigan - Illinois Shoreline currently reports 53°F with wind velocity near 6 mph from the S. Atmospheric forecasts and 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines are updated hourly from the National Weather Service gridpoint matching the lake's coordinates.
At Lake Michigan - Illinois Shoreline and surrounding mountain valleys, diurnal heating of the surrounding terrain causes strong thermal pressure differentials known locally as afternoon breezes (such as the Washoe Zephyr at Lake Tahoe). Wind speeds typically peak between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM before calming near sunset.
For stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), canoeing, and light kayaks, winds under 7 mph (light breeze) offer the safest, glassiest surface conditions. Between 8–14 mph, small wavelets develop, suitable for sailboats and powerboats. Winds exceeding 15 mph create steep whitecaps and rapid drift; winds over 21 mph warrant small craft warnings.
All weather and wind telemetry is fetched directly from the National Weather Service (NOAA - WFO LOT) high-resolution numerical point-forecast API. LakeRadar uses the official gridpoint for Lake Michigan - Illinois Shoreline without artificial smoothing or third-party estimates.
Yes. Live hydrological sensor readings, 30-day elevation histories, full-pool benchmarks, and USGS station provenance are available on our dedicated Lake Michigan - Illinois Shoreline Water Level & Temperature page.
View Lake Michigan - Illinois Shoreline Water Level & Temperature →