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In Michigan, Portage Lake is a lake used for time on and around the water. It covers roughly 2,110 surface acres (about 3 square miles). If you are planning a trip, Manistee Lake, Pere Marquette Lake, and Glen Lake are also nearby. Below you will find an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. This page combines the live forecast, wind, and conditions for Portage Lake so you can plan a visit.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 8:56 PM EDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Best good fishing window, averaging 88/100 across these hours. Wind 5 mph from the south. Measured water temperature 53°F from a representative gauge 15.7 mi away. Provisional data. Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 57° | 54° | 52° | 52° | 53° | 53° | 54° | 54° | 55° | 57° | 57° | 56° | 56° | 59° | 63° | 66° | 69° | 72° | 73° | 73° | 74° | 74° | 73° | 71° |
| Wind (kts) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Direction | — | — | — | E | E | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Gusts (kts) | 3 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 |
| Precip % | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 8 PM EDT | 57°F | Calm | 4 mph | 4% | 7% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 9 PM EDT | 54°F | Calm | 4 mph | 4% | 10% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 10 PM EDT | 52°F | Calm | 6 mph | 4% | 18% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 11 PM EDT | 52°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 12 mph | 4% | 39% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 12 AM EDT | 53°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 13 mph | 4% | 57% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 1 AM EDT | 53°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 14 mph | 4% | 79% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 2 AM EDT | 54°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 16 mph | 6% | 77% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 3 AM EDT | 54°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 17 mph | 6% | 72% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 4 AM EDT | 55°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 18 mph | 6% | 72% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 5 AM EDT | 57°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 20 mph | 4% | 70% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 6 AM EDT | 57°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 20 mph | 4% | 62% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 7 AM EDT | 56°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 21 mph | 4% | 39% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sat, 8 AM EDT | 56°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 21 mph | 2% | 36% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sat, 9 AM EDT | 59°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 22 mph | 2% | 14% | Sunny |
| Sat, 10 AM EDT | 63°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 22 mph | 2% | 21% | Sunny |
| Sat, 11 AM EDT | 66°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 22 mph | 1% | 5% | Sunny |
| Sat, 12 PM EDT | 69°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 23 mph | 1% | 4% | Sunny |
| Sat, 1 PM EDT | 72°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 24 mph | 1% | 4% | Sunny |
| Sat, 2 PM EDT | 73°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 24 mph | 0% | 23% | Sunny |
| Sat, 3 PM EDT | 73°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 24 mph | 0% | 39% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sat, 4 PM EDT | 74°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 24 mph | 0% | 39% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sat, 5 PM EDT | 74°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 23 mph | 0% | 30% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sat, 6 PM EDT | 73°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 23 mph | 0% | 52% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 7 PM EDT | 71°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 22 mph | 0% | 59% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 8 PM EDT | 69°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 21 mph | 0% | 66% | Mostly Cloudy |
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 | Tonight 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 | Thursday Night October 15, 2026 | Friday October 16, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 52° | 75° | 57° | 71° | 54° | 71° | 50° | 61° | 42° | 61° | 42° | 62° | 43° | 58° |
| Wind | E 0 to 10 mph | S 10 to 15 mph | S 5 to 10 mph | S 5 mph | SW 0 to 5 mph | S 5 to 10 mph | NW 5 mph | N 5 to 10 mph | N 0 to 10 mph | NE 0 to 5 mph | E 5 mph | SE 5 to 10 mph | SW 5 to 10 mph | W 10 to 15 mph |
| Gusts | 20 mph | 24 mph | 23 mph | 16 mph | 13 mph | 18 mph | 16 mph | 18 mph | 17 mph | 13 mph | 14 mph | 18 mph | 23 mph | 24 mph |
| Precip % | 6% | 4% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 15% | 61% | 36% | 5% | 7% | 21% | 42% | 46% | 47% |
| Forecast |
L MANISTEE R AT NINE MILE BRIDGE NR FREESOIL, MI · Oct 9, 11:30 PM UTC
Good for fishing (84/100), from 6 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the west-northwest. Dusk hours (20:00 local). Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend. Confidence is moderate (77%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Excellent for boating (99/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the west-northwest. Gusts to 4 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.
Fair for sailing (62/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Gusts are within 4 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. No active official alerts for this lake. Working against it: Wind 0 mph is light; expect limited sailing. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Fair for kayaking (73/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the west-northwest. Gusts to 4 mph. Water temperature is 53°F (combined air+water: 110°F). Cold shock hazard: sudden immersion below 55°F poses serious risk. Confidence is high (90%).
Surface water measured at 53°F. Cold shock reflex presents an immediate drowning risk.
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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.
Nestled in MI, Portage Lake is an attractive freshwater lake celebrated for its open water, scenic shoreline, and productive sport fishery. From spring pre-spawn fishing to peak summer watersports, the lake remains a popular regional destination. Keep watercraft clean, drained, and dry to safeguard this aquatic resource.
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 Common Carp, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Chinook Salmon. 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 Portage 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 9, 8:56 PM EDT