Marine forecast
Lake Michigan: Winthrop Harbor–Wilmette Harbor
- current wind
- 10 kt W
- Gusts
- 14 kt
- Seas
- 0.3 ft
- Air
- 73°F
- Water
- 63°F
Observed Tue 2:10 PM | LMZ777
- Gusts now
- 14 kt
- Seas now
- 0.3 ft
- Air
- 73°F
- Water
- 63°F
- 72-hr peak
- 32 kt
In brief
At 2:10 pm CDT on Oct 13, 2026, NDBC station 45186 (Waukegan Buoy, IL, 9 miles away) measured wind from the W at 10 kt, gusting to 14 kt, with seas of 0.3 ft. The NWS forecast for Lake Michigan: Winthrop Harbor–Wilmette Harbor, IL issued at 9:07 am CDT on Oct 13, 2026 reads, for rest of today: “West winds 10 to 20 kt becoming northwest 10 to 15 kt. Waves 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft subsiding to 2 to 4 ft.”
Source: National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI forecast; NDBC observations
Wind forecast · ktPeak 32 kt
Seas forecast · ftPeak 7 ft
NWS marine forecast
| Period | Forecast |
|---|---|
| Rest Of Today | West winds 10 to 20 kt becoming northwest 10 to 15 kt. Waves 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft subsiding to 2 to 4 ft. |
| Tonight | North winds 5 to 10 kt becoming northeast. Chance of showers and slight chance of thunderstorms. Waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 to 2 ft. |
| Wednesday | Northeast winds 10 to 15 kt becoming north 10 to 20 kt. Waves 1 to 3 ft building to 4 to 6 ft occasionally to 8 ft. |
| Wednesday Night | Northeast winds 10 to 20 kt becoming east. Waves 4 to 6 ft occasionally to 8 ft. |
| Thursday | East winds 10 to 20 kt. Chance of showers in the morning, then showers likely in the afternoon. Waves 4 to 6 ft occasionally to 8 ft. |
| Thursday Night | Northeast winds 10 to 15 kt backing to northwest gales to 35 kt. Showers likely. Waves 2 to 4 ft building to 7 to 10 ft occasionally to 13 ft. |
| Friday | Northwest gales to 45 kt. Chance of showers. Waves 18 to 23 ft occasionally to 30 ft. |
| Saturday | Northwest winds 10 to 20 kt becoming southwest 15 to 25 kt. Waves 6 to 9 ft occasionally to 12 ft subsiding to 3 to 5 ft. |
Issued Tue 9:07 AM by Milwaukee/Sullivan WI (product GLFLM).
Synopsis
West to northwest winds are expected today, remaining breezy as low pressure departs east. Light north winds expected tonight night, with isolated thunderstorms possible across far southern portions of the lake. Northerly winds continue Wednesday as high pressure moves eastward over the northern half of the lake, then easterly into Wednesday night as high pressure moves eastward. Winds weaken into Thursday as low pressure moves east through the Mississippi Valley, then become northwesterly gales late Thursday night into Friday as low pressure moves into the eastern Great Lakes and intensifies. A few storm force gusts are possible Friday. LMZ261-362-364-366-563-565-567-868-132130- 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- 907 AM CDT Tue Oct 13 2026 SHEBOYGAN WI TO PENTWATER MI NORTH...
Recent buoy conditions
| Time | Wind | Gust | Seas | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 2:10 PM | 10 kt W | 14 kt | 0.3 ft | 63°F |
| Tue 1:50 PM | 10 kt WNW | 16 kt | 0.3 ft | 63°F |
| Tue 12:50 PM | 6 kt W | 10 kt | 0.3 ft | 62°F |
| Tue 11:50 AM | 10 kt WNW | 14 kt | 0.3 ft | 60°F |
| Tue 10:50 AM | 12 kt W | 18 kt | 0.3 ft | 61°F |
| Tue 9:50 AM | 12 kt WNW | 18 kt | 0.7 ft | 61°F |
| Tue 8:50 AM | 16 kt W | 23 kt | 0.7 ft | 61°F |
| Tue 7:50 AM | 14 kt W | 19 kt | 1.0 ft | 61°F |
| Tue 6:50 AM | 16 kt W | 23 kt | 1.0 ft | 61°F |
| Tue 5:50 AM | 12 kt W | 18 kt | 1.0 ft | 62°F |
| Tue 4:50 AM | 8 kt WSW | 10 kt | 0.7 ft | 60°F |
| Tue 3:50 AM | 6 kt SSW | 8 kt | 0.7 ft | 59°F |
Observed Tue 2:10 PM at NDBC buoy 45186 (Waukegan Buoy, IL), 9.1 miles away.
Frequently asked questions
What is the marine forecast for Lake Michigan: Winthrop Harbor–Wilmette Harbor today?
Rest Of Today: West winds 10 to 20 kt becoming northwest 10 to 15 kt. Waves 4 to 7 ft occasionally to 9 ft subsiding to 2 to 4 ft.
Is there a small craft advisory for Lake Michigan: Winthrop Harbor–Wilmette Harbor?
No advisories, warnings or watches are in effect for NWS zone LMZ777 as of the last update on this page. Advisories can be issued at any time; check the current bulletin before leaving the dock.
How high are the waves at Lake Michigan: Winthrop Harbor–Wilmette Harbor right now?
Seas are running 0.3 ft, measured at NDBC buoy 45186 Tue 2:10 PM, 9.1 miles from this zone. The forecast peaks at 7.0 ft Fri 12 PM.
What is the water temperature at Lake Michigan: Winthrop Harbor–Wilmette Harbor?
The nearest buoy read 63°F (17°C) at Tue 2:10 PM. Sea surface temperature at a single buoy can differ by several degrees from the water at a beach or in a shallow bay nearby.
What do the wind speeds in knots mean?
One knot is 1.15 mph. The National Weather Service issues a small craft advisory for sustained winds of roughly 22–33 knots or hazardous seas, a gale warning at 34–47 knots, and a storm warning at 48 knots and above. Exact advisory thresholds vary by forecast office and by water body — a bay reaches dangerous chop at a lower wind speed than open ocean.
Where does this forecast come from?
The forecast text is the National Weather Service's own marine bulletin for zone LMZ777, issued by Milwaukee/Sullivan WI, reproduced in full. The wind and seas charts are drawn from the NWS gridded forecast for a point inside the zone. Observations come from the nearest reporting NDBC buoy. We are not affiliated with NOAA or the National Weather Service.
Forecast: NOAA/NWS product GLFLM, issued Tue 9:07 AM. Observations: NOAA National Data Buoy Center station 45186, read Tue 2:10 PM. Retrieved Oct 13, 2:42 PM. Conditions offshore change faster than any page can be rebuilt, so check the current NWS bulletin and your own instruments before going out.