Lake Huron water temperature today
Across 11 reporting buoys, the water ranges from 53°F at Georgian Bay to 62°F at Thunder Bay Buoy, Alpena, MI.
Latest readings from the 11 NOAA buoys on Lake Huron: water temperature, wind and waves. Sorted with the long-running offshore buoys first.
| Buoy | Water | Wind | Waves | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgian BayNDBC 45137 · 45.54°N 81.02°W | 53°F 12°C | NNW 10 kt | 2 ft @ 3s | Oct 17, 13:00 UTC |
| West Lake OntarioNDBC 45139 · 43.25°N 79.53°W | 58°F 14°C | N 16 kt | 2 ft @ 4s | Oct 17, 13:00 UTC |
| South Georgian BayNDBC 45143 · 44.94°N 80.63°W | 57°F 14°C | NNW 12 kt | 4 ft @ 5s | Oct 17, 13:00 UTC |
| Southern Lake HuronNDBC 45149 · 43.54°N 82.08°W | 59°F 15°C | N 16 kt | 6 ft @ 6s | Oct 17, 13:00 UTC |
| Lake NipissingNDBC 45152 · 46.23°N 79.72°W | 55°F 13°C | WNW 8 kt | 1 ft @ 3s | Oct 17, 13:00 UTC |
| North Channel EastNDBC 45154 · 46.05°N 82.64°W | 56°F 14°C | SW 6 kt | – | Oct 17, 13:00 UTC |
| Thunder Bay Buoy, Alpena, MINDBC 45162 · 44.99°N 83.27°W | 62°F 17°C | – | – | Sep 28, 19:20 UTC |
| Mackinac Straits West, Mackinaw City, MINDBC 45175 · 45.83°N 84.77°W | 53°F 12°C | NE 4 kt | 1 ft | Oct 17, 08:40 UTC |
| Lakeport Buoy, MINDBC 45209 · 43.13°N 82.39°W | 60°F 16°C | N 18 kt | 4 ft @ 5s | Oct 17, 13:30 UTC |
| North Huron SpotterNDBC 45212 · 45.35°N 82.84°W | 56°F 13°C | – | 2 ft @ 4s | Oct 17, 12:50 UTC |
| McGulpin Point North, MINDBC 45194 · 45.80°N 84.79°W | 56°F 13°C | – | – | Oct 17, 13:00 UTC |
See where the warm and cold water actually sits between these buoys, and where the temperature breaks and color changes are, on the satellite chart for Lake Huron.
FAQ
Where does this water temperature come from?
From NOAA's National Data Buoy Center (NDBC). Each buoy measures the water temperature near the surface, usually about a meter down, and reports roughly every hour. We pull the latest reading for every buoy off Lake Huron.
How often does this page update?
Every time you load it. Readings come straight from NOAA and are at most about 30 minutes behind what NOAA has published.
Why is the buoy temperature different from the satellite chart?
A buoy measures one spot a meter or so below the surface. A satellite measures the skin of the water over a wide area. On calm, sunny afternoons the skin can read warmer than the water below it. More in our guide to ground-truthing SST with buoys.
Related: How to use buoy data to ground-truth satellite SST · Ideal water temperatures for pelagic fish