The great lakes are notorious for unstable and unpredictable ice conditions so be careful and never fish alone. Lake Michigan does not freeze completely during the winter months. The temperatures given are the sea surface temperature (SST) which is most relevant to recreational users. October was exceptionally warm, with air temperatures at land sites around the lakes ranging from 5 to 10 degrees above long-term norms. Information Quality The bar chart below shows the average monthly sea temperatures at Lake Michigan over the year. 36.9, National Briefing 25.9, Anglers spend a whole day on fishing and have a good chance to catch a trophy. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. Local anglers can catch a variety of fish species in the lake during the fall months. 22.1], Minimum water temperature (34F) in Lake Michigan it happens in March, maximum (73F) in July. This experimental product is still in development. [South Haven] 64.2, Water temperature in Grand Traverse Bay today is 35.1F. Please try another search. Marine Privacy Policy Play Time for Kids, Weather Safety Photo courtesy ofBill Snyder. Since then, he has authored a vast range of content and established a loyal base of 75,000 visitors per month. ', 'AVG', 'Min.' Close Modal 0.3], The best time of a day to fish for steelhead in Lake Michigan in December is between morning and afternoon. Located on the southern side of the straits is the town of Mackinaw City, Michigan, the site of Fort Michilimackinac, a reconstructed French fort founded in 1715, and on the northern side is St. Ignace, Michigan, site of a French Catholic mission to the Indians, founded in 1671. CAUTION: These maps do not take into account hydrologic connectivity. For more inland areas such as marinas, protected harbors, and the lower reaches of some rivers, the average lake level plus storm surge is important. 50.2, Monthly Lake Michigan water temperature chart. Ontario. 1.2], Small silver spoons and power lines work well for fishing the lake during the summer months. In recent years, at the beginning of the month, the temperature value here is at around 46F, and by the end of the month the water . [31], Lake levels tend to be the lowest in winter. Text Products Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario, form the largest group of freshwater . ', 'AVG', 'Min. Based on our historical data over a period of ten years, the warmest water in this day in Grand Traverse Bay was recorded in 2020 and was 35.8F, and the coldest was recorded in 2014 at 30.9F. [Michigan City] [Frankfort] 3: { color: '#FF6347', targetAxisIndex:1, lineWidth: 0 }, Stormdata Find out the temperature of sea water in more than 12000 cities and resorts around the world. Average annual water temperature on the coast in Lake Michigan is 48F, by the seasons: in winter 38F, in spring 38F, in summer 62F, in autumn 54F. Please select one of the following: Lake Michigan water levels remain near the highest observed monthly levels (since at least 1918). Salmon fishing on Lake Michigan is the best in spring and the early fall. curveType: 'function', National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 39.7, Accessed: 4/12/2022. The Chicago city waterfront has been developed for parks, beaches, harbors and marinas, and residential developments connected by the Chicago Lakefront Trail. Get Five Decades Of Great Lakes Ice Cover Data. NOAA is reporting that water temperature is running 6 to 10 degrees above normal, resulting in setting new records on lakes Michigan-Huron, Erie, and Ontario. This is Lawrence J Timmerman (MWC) airport. Salmon can be found in large schools this month. Want to Know the Best Time of Day to Fish? Anglers receive meals and drinks during full-day fishing trips as well. 39.6, Hazardous Weather Outlook Some icebreakers ply the lakes. Traditionally, a lot of anglers visit the lake in June, July, and August. The hottest month of the year in Lake Michigan Beach is July, with an average high of 80F and low of 63F. Its a good idea to fish Lake Michigan during afternoon hours at any time of the year. A lot of steelhead can be found in the rivers around the lake. Whether the data are measured in 'mm' over the lake surface or cubic meters per second ('cms', for those variables dealing with water volumes) For temperatures, whether the data are for the average 'max'imum, 'min'imum, or 'mean' air temperature over a particular month, and whether the temperatures are 'mod'elled (water temps). Lake Michigan's deepest region, which lies in its northern half, is called Chippewa Basin (named after prehistoric Lake Chippewa) and is separated from South Chippewa Basin by a relatively shallower area called the Mid Lake Plateau.[28][29]. May: Water is getting warmer in Michigan in the late spring, so anglers get more bites. Maximum and minimum . 25.2, November: November is a great time to fish for steelhead in Lake Michigan. Anglers should aim to focus on steelhead and salmon when fishing the waters of Lake Michigan during the fall months. The Mackinac Bridge is generally considered the dividing line between them. 78.6, For more detailed information about water temperature, surf forecast, weather and time of sunrise and sunset in any specific area of your interest, just click on a city name. Smallmouth bass fishing in Lake Michigan starts in May and continues until the middle of November. During a year in Lake Michigan there are 42 days of swimming. Lake Huron average water temperature this. Snow and Ice Probabilities, Current Conditions Their culture declined after 800 AD and for the next few hundred years, the region was the home of peoples known as the Late Woodland Native Americans. Water surface temperature values are available in real time. Beach Hazards Awareness For a complete breakdown of the quality of fishing in Lake Michigan, check out this article. Exactly a year ago, on this day, the water temperature in this location was 32F. Long term average surface water temperature compared to current year (csv data files in degree Celsius or degree Fahrenheit) Superior. [6][27], It is the larger half of Lake MichiganHuron, which is the largest body of fresh water in the world by surface area. ', 'Max. The map shows Lake Michigan temperature water in some coastal cities in real time, To find out what the water temperature was in Lake Michigan any day over a period of the last ten years, select the month, If you want to plan a vacation on the beach and enjoy the warm sea, choose the day of the year, region and the minimum comfortable sea/ocean temperature that interests you. There are about 15 days per year above 90F (32C). chart.draw(data, options); Also, water cools down in the afternoon during hot months. 33.8, Steel mills and refineries operate near the Indiana shoreline. The Great Lakes are collectively administered by the Conference of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers, intergovernmental organization led by the governing chief executives of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Qubec, and by the governors of the U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The Chicago lakefront is accessible for about 24 miles (39km) between the city's southern and northern limits along the lake. The lake is flanked by multiple long bays, including Green Bay in the northwest, and Grand Traverse and Little Traverse bays in the northeast. According to the study, lakes lose around 17 days of ice cover every century on average. August is the month with the hottest water temperature at 77.9F / 25.5C. Photo courtesy ofDeb Mann. The largest fisheries are the landings from the Great Lakes, worth about $14million in 2001. The warmest water temperature in Michigan today is 41.5F (Sault Sainte Marie), and the coldest temperature is 32F (Lexington). Every fall, the lake experiences a turnover a mixing of the layers that results in similar temperatures throughout. The lakes were frozen 11 days later and thawed seven days sooner. Outlooks [19], The first person to reach the deep bottom of Lake Michigan was J. Val Klump, a scientist at the University of WisconsinMilwaukee in 1985. Its possible to find a lot of yellow perch in the lakes harbors and ports. [21][22] The warming of Lake Michigan was the subject of a 2018 report by Purdue University. Lake Superior has stayed warmer than average throughout this year, including now. With clear water, sunlight manages to penetrate the depths and grow the algae at the bottom of the lake. Two passenger and vehicle ferries operate ferry services across Lake Michigan, both connecting Wisconsin on the western shore with Michigan on the east. All that warm water is potential energy for precipitation production. ['September', Chicago, IL333 West University DriveRomeoville, IL 60446815-834-1435 8am-8pmComments? Air temperatures in Michigan vary from 18F to 34F during the winter months. Lake Michigan water levels over the last decade have included both near record lows and near record highs. Michigan water temperature right now Below are the cities and resorts in Michigan with the values of water temperature today and yesterday. [Chicago] 20.2, temperature is around 72.5F / 22.5C, August is the month with the highest temperature. I am an avid angler and outdoorsman. To find out the sea temperature today and in the coming days, go to Current sea temperature in Lake Michigan. From Whiting Lakefront Park on November 11, 2019, courtesy of Jerry Robert Smith. In this capacity, the Great Lakes CoastWatch program obtains, produces, and delivers environmental data and products for near real-time monitoring of the Great Lakes to support . FreshwaterFishingAdvice is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Severe Weather Preparedness The primary driver of water levels are precipitation, evaporation, and river flow into the lakes, also referred to as "net basin supply." Average annual water temperature on the coast in Lake Michigan is 48F, by the seasons: in winter 38F, in spring 38F, in summer 62F, in autumn 54F. 1: {gridlines: {color: 'black'}, 17.9], We have no information as to whether it is valid and what flights it receives or sends. 1C / 34F. 9.2, Steelhead bites well during low light conditions. ['February', 68.4, El Nino Ports along its shores include Chicago in Illinois, Gary in Indiana, Milwaukee and Green Bay in Wisconsin, and Muskegon in Michigan. Fish gets active in the spring and early summer. The temperatures given are the sea surface temperature (SST) which is most relevant to recreational users. Lake Michigan fishing in the late spring is productive in the early morning, midday, and late evening. 4: { color: '#FFCC66', targetAxisIndex:1, lineWidth: 0 }, Milwaukee October 30, 2022. However, if the lack of rain continues then the risk of an algae bloom is reduced. The Lake Express, established in 2004, carries passengers and vehicles across the lake between Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Muskegon, Michigan. }. ", "Chart: 14901 Edition: 15 Edition Date: August 2006 Clear Dates: NM 12/17/2011 LNM 12/6/2011";"Soundings in feet and fathoms", "Low Great Lakes water levels plague shipping, recreation", "Two Great Lakes hit lowest water levels since record keeping began nearly a century ago",