Southern Lake Michigan · Winthrop Harbor / North Point Marina

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 Winthrop Harbor / North Point Marina.

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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 3.9 ft.

Wave height about 3.9 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

6:20:30 AM

Sunset

7:18:29 PM

Current conditions

Observed near Winthrop Harbor / North Point Marina 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 9/5/2026, 11:10:00 PM

Air temp

70°F

Feels like

70°F

Conditions

Mostly Clear

Wind

6 mph

Wind direction

Gusts

Not currently available from source

Humidity

94%

Visibility

10 mi

Lake conditions · Winthrop Harbor / North Point Marina

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

~3.9 ft

Buoy

45174

NOAA buoy 45174 sits off Chicago — treat these readings as a southern Lake Michigan reference, not a local Winthrop Harbor / North Point Marina observation.

Active NOAA/NWS alerts

No active alerts for Winthrop Harbor / North Point Marina right now.

Next 24 hours

NWS hourly grid forecast for Winthrop Harbor / North Point Marina. Watch wind shifts and thunderstorm chances before afternoon lake trips.

11 PM

68°

Mostly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

12 AM

68°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

1 AM

69°

Mostly Clear

Wind 10 mph · 0%

2 AM

69°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

3 AM

68°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

4 AM

68°

Mostly Clear

Wind 10 mph · 0%

5 AM

67°

Mostly Clear

Wind 10 mph · 0%

6 AM

67°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 0%

7 AM

67°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 0%

8 AM

69°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 0%

9 AM

70°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

10 AM

72°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

11 AM

73°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

12 PM

72°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

1 PM

73°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

2 PM

73°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

3 PM

73°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

4 PM

72°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

5 PM

71°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

6 PM

70°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

7 PM

70°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

8 PM

69°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

9 PM

68°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

10 PM

68°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

7-day outlook

Tonight

64°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy. Low around 64, with temperatures rising to around 67 overnight. Northeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Wind NE 10 mph · Precip 0%

Sunday

74°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny. High near 74, with temperatures falling to around 71 in the afternoon. East northeast wind around 10 mph.

Wind ENE 10 mph · Precip 1%

Sunday Night

63°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy. Low around 63, with temperatures rising to around 65 overnight. East wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wind E 5 to 10 mph · Precip 0%

Labor Day

74°F

Sunny

Sunny, with a high near 74. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wind SE 5 to 10 mph · Precip 0%

Monday Night

64°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southeast wind around 10 mph.

Wind SE 10 mph · Precip 0%

Tuesday

83°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.

Wind S 10 to 15 mph · Precip 3%

Tuesday Night

70°F

Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70.

Wind SSW 10 to 15 mph · Precip 22%

Wednesday

87°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 87.

Wind WSW 10 to 15 mph · Precip 22%

Wednesday Night

62°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 62.

Wind WNW 5 to 10 mph · Precip 7%

Thursday

77°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.

Wind NW 5 to 10 mph · Precip 7%

Thursday Night

59°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 59.

Wind NW 5 mph · Precip 5%

Friday

78°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.

Wind SSW 5 to 10 mph · Precip 6%

Friday Night

61°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 61.

Wind S 5 mph · Precip 14%

Saturday

82°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.

Wind SSW 5 to 10 mph · Precip 14%

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 3.9 ft.

Wave height about 3.9 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

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

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