Lake Michigan water temperature today
Across 19 reporting buoys, the water ranges from 46°F at Holland Buoy, MI to 62°F at Salmon Unlimited Wisconsin.
Latest readings from the 19 NOAA buoys on Lake Michigan: water temperature, wind and waves. Sorted with the long-running offshore buoys first.
| Buoy | Water | Wind | Waves | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NORTH MICHIGAN- Halfway between North MaNDBC 45002 · 45.34°N 86.41°W | 59°F 15°C | WSW 16 kt | 1 ft @ 3s | Oct 17, 13:20 UTC |
| Atw20NDBC 45013 · 43.10°N 87.85°W | 55°F 13°C | NE 21 kt | 7 ft @ 7s | Oct 16, 21:00 UTC |
| Gb17NDBC 45014 · 44.79°N 87.76°W | 62°F 16°C | S 12 kt | 1 ft @ 2s | Oct 11, 23:30 UTC |
| Little Traverse Bay Buoy, MINDBC 45022 · 45.40°N 85.09°W | 62°F 17°C | W 10 kt | 1 ft @ 3s | Oct 7, 17:50 UTC |
| Ludington Buoy, MINDBC 45024 · 43.98°N 86.56°W | 61°F 16°C | W 4 kt | 2 ft @ 4s | Oct 8, 21:10 UTC |
| Cook Nuclear Plant Buoy, Stevensville, MNDBC 45026 · 41.98°N 86.62°W | 59°F 15°C | ENE 8 kt | 5 ft @ 8s | Oct 17, 13:10 UTC |
| Holland Buoy, MINDBC 45029 · 42.90°N 86.27°W | 46°F 8°C | E 4 kt | 2 ft @ 6s | Oct 17, 13:10 UTC |
| Muskegon Buoy, MINDBC 45161 · 43.19°N 86.35°W | 60°F 16°C | NE 6 kt | – | Oct 14, 13:40 UTC |
| South Haven Buoy, MINDBC 45168 · 42.40°N 86.33°W | 51°F 11°C | NE 6 kt | 3 ft @ 6s | Oct 17, 13:10 UTC |
| Michigan City Buoy, INNDBC 45170 · 41.76°N 86.97°W | 60°F 16°C | E 12 kt | 5 ft @ 8s | Oct 17, 13:30 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 |
| Sleeping Bear DunesNDBC 45183 · 44.98°N 85.83°W | 58°F 15°C | NNE 23 kt | 6 ft @ 7s | Oct 17, 02:00 UTC |
| Waukegan Buoy, ILNDBC 45186 · 42.37°N 87.80°W | 54°F 12°C | WNW 12 kt | 2 ft @ 7s | Oct 17, 13:40 UTC |
| Winthrop Harbor Buoy, ILNDBC 45187 · 42.49°N 87.78°W | 55°F 13°C | 12 kt | – | Oct 17, 13:20 UTC |
| Chicago BuoyNDBC 45198 · 41.89°N 87.56°W | 59°F 15°C | NNW 10 kt | 4 ft @ 7s | Oct 17, 13:20 UTC |
| Salmon Unlimited WisconsinNDBC 45199 · 42.70°N 87.65°W | 62°F 17°C | NE 2 kt | 1 ft | Oct 7, 19:30 UTC |
| South Michigan SpotterNDBC 45214 · 42.67°N 87.03°W | 62°F 16°C | – | 6 ft @ 6s | Oct 17, 12:15 UTC |
| McGulpin Point North, MINDBC 45194 · 45.80°N 84.79°W | 56°F 13°C | – | – | Oct 17, 13:00 UTC |
| Rawley Point East, WINDBC 45210 · 44.05°N 87.05°W | 59°F 15°C | – | 3 ft @ 6s | Oct 17, 12:56 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 Michigan.
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 Michigan.
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