Southern Lake Michigan · Geneva Lake (Lake Geneva, WI)

Chicago Boating Weather & Lake Michigan Conditions

Official NOAA/NWS forecasts and alerts for recreational boaters — plus a plain-language conditions summary. Always verify marine products before you cast off. Currently showing the nearest official forecast for Geneva Lake (Lake Geneva, WI).

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Forecasts come from the nearest National Weather Service grid and station for each area.

Boating conditions summary

Good

Good — No elevated wind, wave, or advisory factors from available data.

No elevated wind, wave, or advisory factors from available data

Boating conditions can change quickly. This rating is informational only and is not a substitute for official NOAA/NWS marine forecasts, local regulations, or the judgment of a qualified captain.

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Sunrise

6:22:55 AM

Sunset

7:21:05 PM

Current conditions

Observed near Geneva Lake (Lake Geneva, WI) for recreational boaters. On-water conditions can differ from land station readings — always cross-check the nearshore marine forecast before you leave the harbor.

Burlington Municipal Airport (KBUU) · Observed 9/5/2026, 10:55:00 PM

Air temp

65°F

Feels like

65°F

Conditions

Clear

Wind

0 mph

Wind direction

Gusts

Not currently available from source

Humidity

94%

Visibility

10 mi

Lake conditions · Geneva Lake (Lake Geneva, WI)

Wave and water readings come from NOAA buoy data when the station reports them. Missing values mean the buoy did not report that field — we never invent lake numbers.

Water temperature

Not currently available from source

Wave height

Not currently available from source

Buoy

Not currently available from source

No NOAA buoy reports for Geneva Lake (Lake Geneva, WI). NOAA buoy 45174 is a Chicago nearshore Lake Michigan reference and does not describe conditions on this inland lake.

Active NOAA/NWS alerts

No active alerts for Geneva Lake (Lake Geneva, WI) right now.

Next 24 hours

NWS hourly grid forecast for Geneva Lake (Lake Geneva, WI). Watch wind shifts and thunderstorm chances before afternoon lake trips.

11 PM

66°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

12 AM

65°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

1 AM

64°

Mostly Clear

Wind 0 mph · 0%

2 AM

63°

Mostly Clear

Wind 0 mph · 0%

3 AM

63°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 0 mph · 0%

4 AM

63°

Mostly Clear

Wind 0 mph · 0%

5 AM

62°

Mostly Clear

Wind 0 mph · 0%

6 AM

62°

Sunny

Wind 0 mph · 0%

7 AM

62°

Sunny

Wind 0 mph · 0%

8 AM

66°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

9 AM

69°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

10 AM

72°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

11 AM

74°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

12 PM

75°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

1 PM

77°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

2 PM

76°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 0%

3 PM

76°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 0%

4 PM

76°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 0%

5 PM

74°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

6 PM

72°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

7 PM

68°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

8 PM

65°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

9 PM

63°

Mostly Clear

Wind 0 mph · 0%

10 PM

61°

Mostly Clear

Wind 0 mph · 0%

7-day outlook

Tonight

61°F

Mostly Clear

Mostly clear, with a low around 61. Northeast wind 0 to 5 mph.

Wind NE 0 to 5 mph · Precip 0%

Sunday

78°F

Sunny

Sunny, with a high near 78. Northeast wind 0 to 10 mph.

Wind NE 0 to 10 mph · Precip 0%

Sunday Night

57°F

Mostly Clear

Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Northeast wind 0 to 5 mph.

Wind NE 0 to 5 mph · Precip 0%

Labor Day

78°F

Sunny

Sunny, with a high near 78. East wind 0 to 10 mph.

Wind E 0 to 10 mph · Precip 0%

Monday Night

60°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. Southeast wind 0 to 5 mph.

Wind SE 0 to 5 mph · Precip 0%

Tuesday

84°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wind S 5 to 10 mph · Precip 5%

Tuesday Night

70°F

Mostly Cloudy then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Showers and thunderstorms likely after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Wind SW 10 mph · Precip 63%

Wednesday

84°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Showers and thunderstorms likely before 7am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 7am and 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Wind W 10 to 15 mph · Precip 63%

Wednesday Night

59°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 59.

Wind W 0 to 10 mph · Precip 5%

Thursday

77°F

Sunny

Sunny, with a high near 77.

Wind NW 0 to 5 mph · Precip 5%

Thursday Night

55°F

Mostly Clear

Mostly clear, with a low around 55.

Wind W 0 to 5 mph · Precip 3%

Friday

79°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.

Wind SW 0 to 5 mph · Precip 4%

Friday Night

59°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 59.

Wind S 0 to 5 mph · Precip 10%

Saturday

81°F

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Wind SW 5 to 10 mph · Precip 21%

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What wind means for recreational boating

Downtown air temperature is not the same as Lake Michigan. Wind over open water builds chop faster than the same breeze feels on land, and thunderstorms can arrive with little room to run for a harbor.

As a conservative rule of thumb for small recreational boats: winds climbing through the teens often mean a tougher ride; mid-20s and higher — especially with gusts or a small craft advisory — are a strong reason to stay docked unless you and your vessel are truly prepared.

This site's Good / Caution / Poor summary is informational only. Official NOAA/NWS marine forecasts and a qualified captain's judgment always come first.

Chicago Boating Brief

A quick read of conditions, official alerts, and recent source-cited updates for Lake Michigan boaters.

Boating conditions summary

Good

Good — No elevated wind, wave, or advisory factors from available data.

No elevated wind, wave, or advisory factors from available data

Boating conditions can change quickly. This rating is informational only and is not a substitute for official NOAA/NWS marine forecasts, local regulations, or the judgment of a qualified captain.

Official alert spotlight

No active alerts in configured nearshore zones right now.

Seasonal tip

Afternoon lake breezes can differ sharply from Loop conditions. Check the nearshore marine forecast before you leave the harbor.

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