National Weather Service Marine Forecast FZUS63 KMKX

FZUS63 KMKX 180859
GLFLM

OPEN LAKE FORECAST for Lake Michigan
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
259 AM CST Sun Jan 18 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

Low pressure around 29.8 inches will move from northwest Minnesota this morning to the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan today. West to southwest winds are expected today across Lake Michigan.

The low will then strengthen to around 29.5 inches as is shifts into eastern Ontario tonight, and into Quebec on Monday. An Arctic cold front will move across the lake later this evening, with northwest gales and heavy freezing spray expected behind the front later tonight through Monday afternoon.

A Gale Warning is in effect for all of Lake Michigan later tonight through Monday afternoon. The strong winds will combine with building waves and cold temperatures to bring heavy freezing spray later tonight through Tuesday morning. A Heavy Freezing Spray Warning is in effect during this period across all of Lake Michigan.

High pressure around 30.5 inches will shift from the northern Plains into the Lower Mississippi River Valley Tuesday, with winds across Lake Michigan shifting west to southwest.

LMZ261-362-364-366-563-565-567-868-181615
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
259 AM CST Sun Jan 18 2026

SHEBOYGAN WI TO PENTWATER MI NORTH...

GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON

HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING

TODAY
West winds 10 to 20 kt becoming southwest. Chance of snow. Waves 3 to 5 ft.

TONIGHT
West winds 10 to 20 kt increasing to 30 kt late in the evening, then increasing to gales to 35 kt after midnight becoming northwest gales to 40 kt late. Snow. Heavy freezing spray overnight. Waves 4 to 6 ft occasionally to 8 ft building to 8 to 12 ft occasionally to 16 ft.

MONDAY
Northwest gales to 40 kt diminishing to 30 kt. Heavy freezing spray. Chance of snow. Waves 12 to 16 ft occasionally to 21 ft.

MONDAY NIGHT
West winds to 30 kt. Heavy freezing spray. Waves 8 to 11 ft occasionally to 14 ft subsiding to 6 to 9 ft occasionally to 12 ft.

TUESDAY
West winds to 30 kt. Heavy freezing spray in the morning. Waves 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft subsiding to 4 to 6 ft occasionally to 8 ft.

TUESDAY NIGHT
Southwest winds 10 to 20 kt. Waves 4 to 6 ft occasionally to 8 ft building to 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft.

WEDNESDAY
West winds 15 to 25 kt increasing to 30 kt. Chance of snow. Waves 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft building to 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft.

THURSDAY
West winds to 30 kt. Heavy freezing spray. Waves 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft subsiding to 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft.

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LMZ080-669-671-673-675-777-779-870-872-874-876-878-181615
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
259 AM CST Sun Jan 18 2026

SHEBOYGAN WI TO PENTWATER MI SOUTH...

GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON

HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING

TODAY
West winds 10 to 20 kt becoming southwest 15 to 25 kt. Freezing spray. Slight chance of snow this morning, then chance of snow this afternoon. Waves 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft.

TONIGHT
Southwest winds 15 to 25 kt becoming west to 30 kt late in the evening, then increasing to gales to 40 kt after midnight becoming northwest late. Freezing spray in the evening, then heavy freezing spray overnight. Snow in the evening, then chance of snow overnight. Waves 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft building to 12 to 16 ft occasionally to 21 ft.

MONDAY
Northwest gales to 40 kt becoming west gales to 35 kt. Heavy freezing spray. Chance of snow. Waves 14 to 18 ft occasionally to 23 ft.

MONDAY NIGHT
West winds to 30 kt. Heavy freezing spray. Chance of snow. Waves 10 to 14 ft occasionally to 18 ft subsiding to 8 to 11 ft occasionally to 14 ft.

TUESDAY
West winds to 30 kt becoming southwest 15 to 25 kt. Heavy freezing spray in the morning, then freezing spray in the afternoon. Waves 6 to 9 ft occasionally to 12 ft.

TUESDAY NIGHT
Southwest winds 15 to 25 kt increasing to 30 kt. Chance of snow. Waves 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft building to 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft.

WEDNESDAY
West winds to 30 kt. Chance of snow. Waves 6 to 9 ft occasionally to 12 ft building to 7 to 10 ft occasionally to 13 ft.

THURSDAY
West winds to 30 kt diminishing to 15 to 25 kt. Freezing spray. Chance of snow. Waves 8 to 11 ft occasionally to 14 ft subsiding to 6 to 9 ft occasionally to 12 ft.

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LMZ761-181615
MAFOR 1811/ MICHIGAN NORTH...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT...12620 12520 11627 11637 11647 11757. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet today. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 8 to 11 feet tonight.

MICHIGAN SOUTH...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT...11620 13530 11537 11647 11657 11757. Waves 3 to 6 feet today. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 10 to 13 feet tonight.

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Wood

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

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