Southern Lake Michigan · Milwaukee Lakefront

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 Milwaukee Lakefront.

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

Boating conditions summary

Caution

Caution — Wave height about 2.3 ft; Active small craft advisory (Small Craft Advisory).

Wave height about 2.3 ft
Active small craft advisory (Small Craft Advisory)

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.

Explore while you check conditions

Use these resources alongside the official forecast above. They are planning links — not recommendations based on today's rating.

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Sunrise

6:29:03 AM

Sunset

7:05:03 PM

Current conditions

Observed near Milwaukee Lakefront for recreational boaters. On-water conditions can differ from land station readings — always cross-check the nearshore marine forecast before you leave the harbor.

Milwaukee, General Mitchell International Airport (KMKE) · Observed 9/14/2026, 1:10:00 AM

Air temp

54°F

Feels like

54°F

Conditions

Clear

Wind

3 mph

Wind direction

Gusts

Not currently available from source

Humidity

77%

Visibility

10 mi

Lake conditions · Milwaukee Lakefront

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

~2.3 ft

Buoy

45174

NOAA buoy 45174 sits off Chicago — treat these readings as a southern Lake Michigan reference, not a local Milwaukee Lakefront observation.

Active NOAA/NWS alerts

Official National Weather Service products. These are not BoatingChicago opinions.

Official NOAA/NWS · Marine-related

Small Craft Advisory

Small Craft Advisory issued September 13 at 9:08PM CDT until September 15 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

* WHAT...South winds 15 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt and waves 5 to 8 ft expected. * WHERE...Nearshore Waters from North Point Lighthouse to Winthrop Harbor IL. * WHEN...From 4 PM Monday to 7 AM CDT Tuesday. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.

View official alert →

Next 24 hours

NWS hourly grid forecast for Milwaukee Lakefront. Watch wind shifts and thunderstorm chances before afternoon lake trips.

1 AM

57°

Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

2 AM

56°

Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

3 AM

55°

Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

4 AM

54°

Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

5 AM

52°

Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

6 AM

51°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

7 AM

51°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

8 AM

54°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

9 AM

58°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 0%

10 AM

62°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 0%

11 AM

63°

Sunny

Wind 15 mph · 0%

12 PM

64°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 15 mph · 0%

1 PM

64°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 15 mph · 0%

2 PM

64°

Partly Sunny

Wind 20 mph · 1%

3 PM

65°

Partly Sunny

Wind 20 mph · 2%

4 PM

65°

Mostly Cloudy

Wind 20 mph · 3%

5 PM

65°

Mostly Cloudy

Wind 20 mph · 5%

6 PM

65°

Mostly Cloudy

Wind 20 mph · 8%

7 PM

65°

Mostly Cloudy

Wind 20 mph · 10%

8 PM

66°

Mostly Cloudy

Wind 20 mph · 11%

9 PM

67°

Mostly Cloudy

Wind 20 mph · 12%

10 PM

67°

Mostly Cloudy

Wind 25 mph · 13%

11 PM

67°

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Wind 25 mph · 21%

12 AM

66°

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Wind 25 mph · 31%

7-day outlook

Overnight

51°F

Clear

Clear, with a low around 51. Northwest wind around 5 mph.

Wind NW 5 mph · Precip 0%

Monday

66°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. East wind 5 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Wind E 5 to 20 mph · Precip 5%

Monday Night

63°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11pm and midnight, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between midnight and 1am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 1am and 3am, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. South wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Wind S 15 to 25 mph · Precip 73%

Tuesday

71°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Showers and thunderstorms likely before 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 71. Southwest wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Wind SW 10 to 20 mph · Precip 62%

Tuesday Night

62°F

Mostly Cloudy

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. North wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wind N 5 to 10 mph · Precip 12%

Wednesday

66°F

Chance Rain Showers

A chance of rain showers after 7am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Wind NE 10 to 15 mph · Precip 45%

Wednesday Night

63°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

A chance of rain showers before 7pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 7pm and 1am, then showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 63. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Wind NE 10 to 15 mph · Precip 79%

Thursday

68°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

Showers and thunderstorms before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68. Northeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Wind NE 10 mph · Precip 79%

Thursday Night

62°F

Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain Showers

A chance of rain showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wind NE 10 to 15 mph · Precip 27%

Friday

68°F

Chance Rain Showers

A chance of rain showers before 1pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 68. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Wind E 15 mph · Precip 36%

Friday Night

62°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Wind SE 10 to 15 mph · Precip 48%

Saturday

70°F

Chance Rain Showers

A chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Wind S 15 mph · Precip 52%

Saturday Night

60°F

Chance Rain Showers

A chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Wind N 15 mph · Precip 50%

Sunday

66°F

Chance Rain Showers

A chance of rain showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 66. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wind NE 15 to 20 mph · Precip 32%

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

Caution

Caution — Wave height about 2.3 ft; Active small craft advisory (Small Craft Advisory).

Wave height about 2.3 ft
Active small craft advisory (Small Craft Advisory)

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

NOAA/NWS

Small Craft Advisory

Small Craft Advisory issued September 13 at 9:08PM CDT until September 15 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Seasonal tip

Night fireworks and special-event weekends fill harbors early — plan fuel, dockage, and a sober captain before you go.

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