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Official National Weather Service (NWS) point forecast and real-time wind conditions for Portage Lake (Michigan). 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines, peak gusts, watercraft recreation safety thresholds, and 7-day marine outlook.
Today: High 65°F · Low 52°F
Peak gusts: 4 mph · Lake surface chop expected
Humidity: 68% · Barometer: 30.06 inHg
Live hydrological sensor reading for Portage Lake.
Excellent for boating (97/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the east. Gusts to 7 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.
Good for fishing (80/100), from 6 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the east. 0% chance of precipitation. 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 kayaking (71/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the east. Gusts to 7 mph. Water temperature is 52°F (combined air+water: 110°F). Cold shock hazard: sudden immersion below 55°F poses serious risk. Confidence is high (90%).
Very Poor / Avoid for swimming (25/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Measured water temperature 52°F from a representative gauge 15.7 mi away. Provisional data. Immersion shock hazard: water below 55°F poses severe cold shock and rapid hypothermia risk. Air temperature 58°F. Water temperature is 52°F (below 55°F). Severe cold shock and hypothermia hazard upon immersion. Confidence is moderate (75%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
| Time | Air Temp | Wind (mph) | Direction | Peak Gusts | Rain Chance | Sky & Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 PM | 58°F | 5 mph | E | ⚡ 7 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 1 PM | 61°F | 5 mph | N | ⚡ 6 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 2 PM | 63°F | 5 mph | NW | ⚡ 5 mph | 1% | Sunny |
| 3 PM | 64°F | 0 mph | — | ⚡ 6 mph | 1% | Sunny |
| 4 PM | 65°F | 0 mph | — | ⚡ 6 mph | 1% | Sunny |
| 5 PM | 65°F | 0 mph | — | ⚡ 6 mph | 1% | Sunny |
| 6 PM | 63°F | 0 mph | — | ⚡ 6 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 7 PM | 61°F | 0 mph | — | ⚡ 6 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 8 PM | 55°F | 0 mph | — | ⚡ 7 mph | 4% | Mostly Clear |
| 9 PM | 53°F | 0 mph | — | ⚡ 8 mph | 4% | Mostly Clear |
| 10 PM | 52°F | 5 mph | E | ⚡ 10 mph | 4% | Mostly Clear |
| 11 PM | 52°F | 5 mph | E | ⚡ 12 mph | 4% | Mostly Clear |
| 12 AM | 53°F | 5 mph | E | ⚡ 13 mph | 4% | Partly Cloudy |
| 1 AM | 53°F | 5 mph | SE | ⚡ 14 mph | 4% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 2 AM | 54°F | 5 mph | SE | ⚡ 16 mph | 6% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 3 AM | 54°F | 5 mph | SE | ⚡ 17 mph | 6% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 4 AM | 55°F | 5 mph | SE | ⚡ 18 mph | 6% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 5 AM | 57°F | 10 mph | SE | ⚡ 20 mph | 4% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 6 AM | 57°F | 10 mph | SE | ⚡ 20 mph | 4% | Partly Sunny |
| 7 AM | 56°F | 10 mph | SE | ⚡ 21 mph | 4% | Mostly Sunny |
| 8 AM | 56°F | 10 mph | SE | ⚡ 21 mph | 2% | Mostly Sunny |
| 9 AM | 59°F | 10 mph | SE | ⚡ 22 mph | 2% | Sunny |
| 10 AM | 63°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 22 mph | 2% | Sunny |
| 11 AM | 66°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 22 mph | 1% | Sunny |
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 65. North wind 0 to 5 mph.
Partly cloudy. Low around 52, with temperatures rising to around 57 overnight. East wind 0 to 10 mph.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. South wind 10 to 15 mph.
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. South wind around 5 mph.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 54.
A slight chance of rain showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 71.
A slight chance of rain showers before 8pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50.
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 61.
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.
A slight chance of rain showers after 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.
A chance of rain showers before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62.
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43.
Portage Lake currently reports 61°F with wind velocity near 1 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 Portage Lake 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 APX) high-resolution numerical point-forecast API. LakeRadar uses the official gridpoint for Portage Lake 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 Portage Lake Water Level & Temperature page.
View Portage Lake Water Level & Temperature →