Southern Lake Michigan · Waukegan Harbor

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 Waukegan Harbor.

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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 ft.

Wave height about 2 ft

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

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Sunrise

6:29:04 AM

Sunset

7:04:22 PM

Current conditions

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

Chicago/Waukegan Regional Airport (KUGN) · Observed 9/13/2026, 11:30:00 PM

Air temp

52°F

Feels like

52°F

Conditions

Clear

Wind

3 mph

Wind direction

Gusts

Not currently available from source

Humidity

100%

Visibility

10 mi

Lake conditions · Waukegan Harbor

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 ft

Buoy

45174

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

Active NOAA/NWS alerts

No active alerts for Waukegan Harbor right now.

Next 24 hours

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

11 PM

57°

Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

12 AM

56°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

1 AM

55°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

2 AM

54°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

3 AM

54°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 5%

4 AM

54°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 4%

5 AM

53°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 3%

6 AM

53°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 1%

7 AM

53°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

8 AM

57°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

9 AM

62°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 0%

10 AM

65°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 15 mph · 0%

11 AM

67°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 15 mph · 0%

12 PM

68°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 15 mph · 0%

1 PM

69°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 15 mph · 0%

2 PM

70°

Partly Sunny

Wind 15 mph · 0%

3 PM

69°

Partly Sunny

Wind 15 mph · 5%

4 PM

69°

Partly Sunny

Wind 15 mph · 9%

5 PM

69°

Partly Sunny

Wind 20 mph · 14%

6 PM

68°

Slight Chance Rain Showers

Wind 20 mph · 18%

7 PM

68°

Slight Chance Rain Showers

Wind 20 mph · 20%

8 PM

68°

Slight Chance Rain Showers

Wind 20 mph · 19%

9 PM

67°

Mostly Cloudy

Wind 25 mph · 13%

10 PM

66°

Mostly Cloudy

Wind 20 mph · 8%

7-day outlook

Tonight

51°F

Mostly Clear

Mostly clear. Low around 51, with temperatures rising to around 53 overnight. Northwest wind around 5 mph.

Wind NW 5 mph · Precip 5%

Monday

71°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny. High near 71, with temperatures falling to around 69 in the afternoon. East wind 5 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Wind E 5 to 20 mph · Precip 14%

Monday Night

65°F

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

A slight chance of rain showers before 9pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy. Low around 65, with temperatures rising to around 67 overnight. South wind 20 to 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Wind S 20 to 25 mph · Precip 49%

Tuesday

82°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82. Southwest wind 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wind SW 10 to 20 mph · Precip 65%

Tuesday Night

63°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Wind NNW 5 to 10 mph · Precip 57%

Wednesday

70°F

Rain Showers Likely

Rain showers likely before 1pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Wind NE 10 mph · Precip 62%

Wednesday Night

65°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Showers and thunderstorms likely before 7pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 7pm and 1am, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a low around 65.

Wind NE 5 to 10 mph · Precip 70%

Thursday

72°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72.

Wind NNE 5 to 10 mph · Precip 70%

Thursday Night

64°F

Slight Chance Rain Showers

A slight chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64.

Wind NE 5 mph · Precip 21%

Friday

71°F

Chance Rain Showers

A chance of rain showers before 1pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 71.

Wind E 5 to 10 mph · Precip 36%

Friday Night

64°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64.

Wind SE 10 mph · Precip 48%

Saturday

73°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 73.

Wind SW 10 mph · Precip 55%

Saturday Night

62°F

Rain Showers Likely

Rain showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62.

Wind N 10 mph · Precip 55%

Sunday

69°F

Chance Rain Showers

A chance of rain showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 69.

Wind NNE 10 to 15 mph · Precip 37%

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 ft.

Wave height about 2 ft

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

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

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