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In Michigan, Muskegon Lake is a lake used for time on and around the water. It reaches a maximum depth of roughly 79 feet at an elevation of about 580 feet. The water surface spans about 4,151 acres, making it a mid-sized body of water. Research-grade observations nearby include Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass, and Pumpkinseed Sunfish. If you are planning a trip, Lake Michigan - Michigan Shoreline, White Lake, and Lake Macatawa are also nearby. Water data on this page comes from a mapped monitoring station near the lake. Below you will find an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, water readings, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. This page combines the live forecast, wind, and conditions for Muskegon Lake so you can plan a visit.
Updated
Latest source update is older than expected. Use caution and check the official source.
The last automated check (Oct 11, 8:03 PM EDT) found no active alerts for this lake, but that check is older than LakeRadar's alert freshness window, so the current alert status could not be confirmed.
Confirm before heading out: official alerts for this area or weather.gov/alerts. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
Overall Fair (65/100) across 5 activities. Best right now: Kayaking (70/100).
How the score is calculated →Best good fishing window, averaging 89/100 across these hours. Measured water temperature 61°F from a representative gauge 32.3 mi away. Provisional data. Wind 8 mph from the south. Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 59° | 58° | 58° | 59° | 60° | 60° | 59° | 60° | 60° | 59° | 60° | 61° | 62° | 64° | 66° | 66° | 67° | 68° | 68° | 68° | 69° | 68° | 68° | 67° |
| Wind (kts) | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Direction | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | SW | SW | S | SW | SW | SW |
| Gusts (kts) | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 16 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 3% | 9% | 17% | 7% | 0% | 36% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, 9 PM EDT | 59°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 7 mph | 0% | 16% | Mostly Clear |
| Sun, 10 PM EDT | 58°F | 6 mph S (180°) | 8 mph | 0% | 17% | Mostly Clear |
| Sun, 11 PM EDT | 58°F | 6 mph S (180°) | 9 mph | 0% | 14% | Mostly Clear |
| Mon, 12 AM EDT | 59°F | 6 mph S (180°) | 10 mph | 0% | 15% | Mostly Clear |
| Mon, 1 AM EDT | 60°F | 7 mph S (180°) | 12 mph | 0% | 24% | Mostly Clear |
| Mon, 2 AM EDT | 60°F | 7 mph S (180°) | 13 mph | 0% | 49% | Partly Cloudy |
| Mon, 3 AM EDT | 59°F | 7 mph S (180°) | 14 mph | 0% | 54% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 4 AM EDT | 60°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 15 mph | 0% | 63% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 5 AM EDT | 60°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 14 mph | 0% | 59% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 6 AM EDT | 59°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 0% | 69% | Partly Sunny |
| Mon, 7 AM EDT | 60°F | 9 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 0% | 72% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 8 AM EDT | 61°F | 9 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 0% | 79% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 9 AM EDT | 62°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 20 mph | 0% | 64% | Partly Sunny |
| Mon, 10 AM EDT | 64°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 20 mph | 0% | 78% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 11 AM EDT | 66°F | 12 mph S (180°) | 20 mph | 0% | 87% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 12 PM EDT | 66°F | 12 mph S (180°) | 21 mph | 0% | 71% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 1 PM EDT | 67°F | 13 mph S (180°) | 22 mph | 0% | 53% | Partly Sunny |
| Mon, 2 PM EDT | 68°F | 13 mph S (180°) | 22 mph | 0% | 38% | Mostly Sunny |
| Mon, 3 PM EDT | 68°F | 13 mph SSW (203°) | 22 mph | 3% | 35% | Mostly Sunny |
| Mon, 4 PM EDT | 68°F | 13 mph SSW (203°) | 22 mph | 9% | 33% | Mostly Sunny |
| Mon, 5 PM EDT | 69°F | 13 mph S (180°) | 22 mph | 17% | 27% | Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Mon, 6 PM EDT | 68°F | 12 mph SSW (203°) | 22 mph | 7% | 26% | Partly Cloudy |
| Mon, 7 PM EDT | 68°F | 12 mph SSW (203°) | 21 mph | 0% | 34% | Partly Cloudy |
| Mon, 8 PM EDT | 67°F | 9 mph SSW (203°) | 18 mph | 36% | 28% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Mon, 9 PM EDT | 66°F | 9 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 40% | 34% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
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 | This Afternoon October 11, 2026 | This Afternoon October 11, 2026 | Tonight October 11, 2026 | Tonight 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 | Thursday Night October 15, 2026 | Friday October 16, 2026 | Friday Night October 16, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 67° | 67° | 58° | 58° | 70° | 62° | 69° | 54° | 63° | 47° | 62° | 48° | 57° | 38° |
| Wind | SSW 6 mph | SW 6 mph | SSW 3 to 8 mph | S 5 to 8 mph | SSW 8 to 13 mph | SSW 12 mph | WSW 13 mph | NNW 3 to 9 mph | N 5 to 12 mph | NNE 7 to 12 mph | E 10 mph | SE 6 to 10 mph | NW 13 to 29 mph | NNW 16 to 28 mph |
| Gusts | 10 mph | 10 mph | 15 mph | 15 mph | 22 mph | 22 mph | 22 mph | 17 mph | 18 mph | 18 mph | 18 mph | 20 mph | 45 mph | 43 mph |
| Precip % | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 17% | 42% | 14% | 13% | 13% | 7% | 43% | 63% | 48% | 48% |
| Forecast |
Holland, MI · Oct 11, 6:54 PM UTC
Fair for fishing (66/100), from 6 available inputs. Supporting this: Measured water temperature 61°F from a representative gauge 32.3 mi away. Provisional data. Wind 6 mph from the southwest. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend. Confidence is moderate (72%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Fair for boating (70/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 6 mph from the southwest. Gusts to 10 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 (62/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. Wind 6 mph from the SW is workable but not ideal. 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 (70/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 6 mph from the southwest. Gusts to 10 mph. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. Confidence is high (90%).
Surface water measured at 61°F. Air and water contrast evaluate recreational immersion comfort.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of MI Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Muskegon Lake is an established freshwater lake in MI that delivers excellent freshwater boating, fishing, and outdoor recreation. The waterbody's bathymetry and shoreline vegetation provide productive habitat for gamefish year-round. Public recreation areas and boat launch facilities are overseen by state and local natural resource agencies.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) is required for anglers age 17+. 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 State & Local Authorities. 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 Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass, Pumpkinseed Sunfish. 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.
Northern cold winter conditions with freezing air temperatures and potential surface ice formation. Ramps and water systems may be winterized. Confirm open status before visiting.
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 Muskegon Lake 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 11, 9:04 PM EDT