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National Weather Service Marine Forecast FZUS63 KMKX

FZUS63 KMKX 160236
GLFLM

OPEN LAKE FORECAST for Lake Michigan
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
836 PM CST Thu Jan 15 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

Breezy southwesterly winds will continue to build over Lake Michigan as low pressure around 29.4 inches over western Ontario moves to the northern Great Lakes on Friday. The low will then gradually weaken over the northern Great Lakes into Saturday. The breezy southwest winds will shift westerly Friday afternoon with the passage of a cold front.

Winds are then expected to return to southwesterly and increase for Sunday as another low pressure deepens to around 29.4 inches as it tracks into the Lake Superior region Sunday afternoon/evening. The associated cold front will sweep across Lake Michigan as the low pressure quickly pushes east into Monday. Expecting stronger northwesterly winds to develop behind the departing low and cold front Sunday night through Monday. There will be a potential for gales during this time frame and will monitor to see if this gale trend continues. Otherwise, low pressure kicks east later Monday with another high pressure building into the region for Tuesday.

Given the colder Arctic airmass settling over the area and brisk winds, expect freezing spray concerns across Lake Michigan this weekend and continuing into the next week as well with even colder temps.

LMZ261-362-364-366-563-565-567-868-161030
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
836 PM CST Thu Jan 15 2026

SHEBOYGAN WI TO PENTWATER MI NORTH...

REST OF TONIGHT
Southwest winds 10 to 20 kt increasing to 15 to 25 kt. Chance of snow and slight chance of light freezing drizzle through early evening, then snow likely with slight chance of light freezing drizzle overnight. Waves 2 to 4 ft building to 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft.

FRIDAY
Southwest winds 15 to 25 kt becoming west. Snow in the morning, then chance of snow in the afternoon. Waves 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft subsiding to 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft.

FRIDAY NIGHT
West winds 15 to 25 kt diminishing to 10 to 20 kt. Chance of snow in the evening, then chance of snow showers overnight. Waves 4 to 6 ft occasionally to 8 ft.

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

SATURDAY NIGHT
Northwest winds 15 to 25 kt diminishing to 10 to 20 kt. Chance of snow showers in the evening. Waves 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft.

SUNDAY
West winds 15 to 25 kt becoming southwest to 30 kt. Chance of snow in the afternoon. Waves 4 to 6 ft occasionally to 8 ft building to 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft.

SUNDAY NIGHT
West winds to 30 kt becoming northwest gales to 40 kt. Heavy freezing spray. Chance of snow. Waves 7 to 10 ft occasionally to 13 ft building to 8 to 12 ft occasionally to 16 ft.

MONDAY
Northwest gales to 40 kt. Heavy freezing spray. Chance of snow. Waves 10 to 14 ft occasionally to 18 ft.

TUESDAY
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.

LMZ080-669-671-673-675-777-779-870-872-874-876-878-161030
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
836 PM CST Thu Jan 15 2026

SHEBOYGAN WI TO PENTWATER MI SOUTH...

REST OF TONIGHT
Southwest winds 10 to 20 kt increasing to 30 kt. Slight chance of snow through early evening, then snow and slight chance of light freezing drizzle overnight. Waves 3 to 5 ft building to 6 to 9 ft occasionally to 12 ft.

FRIDAY
Southwest winds to 30 kt becoming west 15 to 25 kt. Snow likely in the morning, then chance of snow in the afternoon. Waves 6 to 9 ft occasionally to 12 ft.

FRIDAY NIGHT
West winds 15 to 25 kt. Chance of snow in the evening, then chance of snow showers and light freezing rain likely overnight. Waves 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft subsiding to 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft.

SATURDAY
West winds 15 to 25 kt. Freezing spray. Chance of snow showers in the morning, then snow showers likely in the afternoon. Waves 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft.

SATURDAY NIGHT
West winds 15 to 25 kt. Freezing spray. Chance of snow showers in the evening, then chance of snow overnight. Waves 5 to 8 ft occasionally to 10 ft.

SUNDAY
West winds 15 to 25 kt becoming southwest to 30 kt. Freezing spray. Chance of snow. Waves 7 to 10 ft occasionally to 13 ft.

SUNDAY NIGHT
West gales to 35 kt increasing to gales to 40 kt. Heavy freezing spray. Chance of snow. Waves 8 to 11 ft occasionally to 14 ft building to 10 to 14 ft occasionally to 18 ft.

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

TUESDAY
West winds to 30 kt. Freezing spray. Chance of snow. Waves 7 to 10 ft occasionally to 13 ft subsiding to 6 to 9 ft occasionally to 12 ft.

LMZ761-161030
MAFOR 1605/ MICHIGAN NORTH 14537 11537 11530 12630. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 4 to 7 feet overnight. Waves 4 to 7 feet subsiding to 3 to 6 feet Friday. Waves 3 to 6 feet Friday evening.

MICHIGAN SOUTH 14547 11640 13630. Waves 3 to 6 feet building to 5 to 8 feet overnight. Waves 5 to 9 feet subsiding to 4 to 7 feet Friday. Waves 5 to 8 feet Friday evening.

Gehring

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

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