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National Weather Service Marine Forecast FZUS63 KMKX

FZUS63 KMKX 122032
GLFLM

OPEN LAKE FORECAST for Lake Michigan
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
232 PM CST Mon Jan 12 2026

FOR WATERS BEYOND FIVE NAUTICAL MILES OF SHORE ON Lake Michigan.

Waves are provided as a range of significant wave heights, which is the average of the highest 1/3 of the wave, along with the average height of the highest 10% of the waves which will occasionally be encountered.

SYNOPSIS

29.4 inch low pressure is centered over the eastern Hudson Bay this afternoon, resulting in generally west-southwest winds across the open waters of Lake Michigan. High pressure of 29.9 inches will cross the waters this evening, bringing a decrease in winds through the first half of the overnight hours. Low pressure of 29.3 inches will develop near the Ontario-Manitoba border late tonight, deepening to near 29.2 inches as it approaches the Ontario-Quebec border Tuesday evening. Development and progression of the low will result in increasing west-southwest winds across Lake Michigan early Tuesday morning through Tuesday afternoon. Gusts between 25-30 knots are possible, though gales are not expected at this time.

An Arctic cold front will quickly move south across Lake Michigan late Tuesday night through early Wednesday morning, bringing a gusty north wind shift over the waters. Gale force gusts are anticipated from the late morning hours through early evening, with highest gusts over the southern two thirds of the open waters. A Gale Watch has been issued between 3 AM and 9 PM CST Wednesday over northern Lake Michigan, and between 6 AM CST Wednesday and 12 AM CST Thursday over southern Lake Michigan. Will continue to monitor trends & determine the need for Gale Warnings over the next 12-24 hours. Areas of light to moderate freezing spray will accompany the passing front Wednesday morning through Wednesday evening.

LMZ261-362-364-366-563-565-567-868-130430
Lake Michigan from Seul Choix Point to Rock Island Passage 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan South of a line from Seul Choix Point to the Mackinac Bridge and north of a line from Charlevoix MI to South Fox Island 5 NM offshore
Lake Michigan from Charlevoix to Point Betsie MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan from Point Betsie to Manistee MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan from Rock Island Passage to Sturgeon Bay WI
Lake Michigan from Sturgeon Bay to Two Rivers WI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan from Two Rivers to Sheboygan WI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan from Pentwater to Manistee MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
232 PM CST Mon Jan 12 2026

SHEBOYGAN WI TO PENTWATER MI NORTH...

GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING

TONIGHT
West winds 10 to 20 kt becoming south 15 to 25 kt. Chance of rain overnight. Waves 2 to 4 ft building to 3 to 5 ft.

TUESDAY
Southwest winds to 30 kt becoming west 15 to 25 kt. Snow with a chance of rain in the morning, then chance of rain and snow likely in the afternoon. Waves 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft.

TUESDAY NIGHT
West winds 15 to 25 kt increasing to 30 kt late in the evening, then becoming northwest gales to 35 kt after midnight becoming north late. Freezing spray overnight. Waves 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft building to 8 to 11 ft occasionally to 14 ft.

WEDNESDAY
North gales to 40 kt. Freezing spray. Chance of snow. Waves 14 to 18 ft occasionally to 23 ft.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT
North gales to 40 kt diminishing to 30 kt overnight. Chance of snow in the evening. Freezing spray. Waves 12 to 16 ft occasionally to 21 ft subsiding to 10 to 14 ft occasionally to 18 ft.

THURSDAY
North winds 15 to 25 kt becoming west 10 to 20 kt. Waves 6 to 9 ft occasionally to 12 ft subsiding to 3 to 5 ft.

THURSDAY NIGHT
Southwest winds 10 to 20 kt. Chance of snow. Waves 3 to 5 ft building to 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft.

FRIDAY
Southwest winds 10 to 20 kt. Chance of snow. Waves 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft.

SATURDAY
Northwest winds 10 to 20 kt increasing to 15 to 25 kt. Chance of snow. Waves 4 to 6 ft occasionally to 8 ft.

LMZ080-669-671-673-675-777-779-870-872-874-876-878-130430
Lake Michigan from Michigan City IN to St. Joseph MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan from Sheboygan to Port Washington WI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan from Port Washington to North Point Light WI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan from North Point Light to Wind Point WI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan from Wind Point WI to Winthrop Harbor IL 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan from Winthrop Harbor to Wilmette Harbor IL 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan from Wilmette Harbor IL to Michigan City IN 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan from Whitehall to Pentwater MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan from Grand Haven to Whitehall MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan from Holland to Grand Haven MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan from South Haven to Holland MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
Lake Michigan from St. Joseph to South Haven MI 5 NM offshore to Mid Lake
232 PM CST Mon Jan 12 2026

SHEBOYGAN WI TO PENTWATER MI SOUTH...

GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING

TONIGHT
Southwest winds 10 to 20 kt increasing to 30 kt. Chance of sprinkles and slight chance of rain overnight. Waves 3 to 5 ft building to 4 to 6 ft occasionally to 8 ft.

TUESDAY
Southwest winds to 30 kt becoming west 15 to 25 kt. Slight chance of rain. Waves 6 to 9 ft occasionally to 12 ft.

TUESDAY NIGHT
West winds 15 to 25 kt becoming northwest gales to 35 kt. Waves 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft building to 8 to 11 ft occasionally to 14 ft.

WEDNESDAY
North gales to 40 kt increasing to gales to 45 kt. Freezing spray. Snow likely. Waves 15 to 20 ft occasionally to 26 ft.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT
North gales to 45 kt diminishing to gales to 35 kt overnight. Freezing spray. Chance of snow. Waves 14 to 18 ft occasionally to 23 ft subsiding to 12 to 16 ft occasionally to 21 ft.

THURSDAY
Northwest winds to 30 kt becoming west 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Freezing spray in the morning. Waves 8 to 12 ft occasionally to 16 ft subsiding to 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft.

THURSDAY NIGHT
Southwest winds 15 to 25 kt. Chance of snow. Waves 4 to 6 ft occasionally to 8 ft building to 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft.

FRIDAY
Southwest winds 15 to 25 kt becoming west. Snow likely. Waves 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft.

SATURDAY
West winds 15 to 25 kt. Freezing spray. Snow likely. Waves 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft.

LMZ761-130430
MAFOR 1223/ MICHIGAN NORTH 11620 11510 11520 11430 11436 11547 11647 11637. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet, then building to 3 to 5 feet tonight. Waves 5 to 8 feet Tuesday.

MICHIGAN SOUTH 13520 12530 12540 11630. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet, then building to 3 to 6 feet tonight. Waves 5 to 9 feet Tuesday.

Quigley

Experimental modernized open lake forecast is available online at weather.gov/mkx/glftable

Graphical marine forecasts are available online at: weather.gov/greatlakes