', 'AVG', 'Min.' [33] Keith Kompoltowicz, chief of watershed hydrology for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' district office in Detroit, explained that biggest factors leading to the lower water levels in 2013 were a combination of the "lack of a large snowpack" in the winter of 2011/2012 coupled with very hot and dry conditions in the summer of 2012. 25.9, (overcast clouds) Wind. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of cookies. The most recent period with similar lake levels was1986-1987. Earths lakes are warming at a feverish pace, with the Great Lakes leading the way Its looking more and more like the Great Lakes water temps are experiencing setting new records due to the effects of higher temperatures in the region. From Whiting Lakefront Park on November 11, 2019, courtesy of Jerry Robert Smith. NOTE: During winter months, stage and discharge may be significantly affected by backwater from ice, resulting in incorrect discharge data. [30] The all-time low-water mark was eclipsed in January 2013. This means that areas may be depicted as flooding that are not connected to Lake Michigan. [10] It is shared, from west to east, by the U.S. states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Lake Michigan Beach Forecast CoCoRaHs Morning fishing is not suitable for anglers, who want to wake up early. For ease of search, all places are also grouped by the first letter of the name. Also, fishermen can expect the peak of summer heat during the summertime. Lake freighters are used on the lakes that are too large to pass the locks and enter the ocean. Photos will be available to all users after verification by the moderator. Several lakes appear to be warming faster than. ['August', 100%. air temperature is around 72.5F / 22.5C, August is the month with the highest temperature. Lake Michigan water temperatures in spring vary from 32F to 54F. Select the continent of interest, the day of the month and the required water temperature, Places with the warmest average water temperature in Lake Michigan in July. Anglers who fish Lake Michigan in the fall get excellent results between the early morning and afternoon. 34, 44.6, The Chicago city waterfront has been developed for parks, beaches, harbors and marinas, and residential developments connected by the Chicago Lakefront Trail. [9], Lake Michigan is the only one of the five Great Lakes located fully in the United States; the other four are shared between the United States and Canada. [Beaver Island] Air temperatures in Michigan vary from 58F to 82F during the summer months. ['December', Huron. Hundreds of thousands of salmon head into rivers and smaller creeks to spawn and die. When algae die it floats to the surface and acts like a sponge, capturing E.coli and fecal runoff from farm fields sprayed with animal waste and overflow septic systems. To learn how good the fishing on Lake Erie is, check out this article. NOAA Weather Radio 79.5, 32.5, Average annual water temperature on the coast in Lake Michigan is 48F, by the seasons: in winter 38F, in spring 38F, in summer 62F, in autumn 54F. Local anglers can catch a variety of fish species in the lake during the fall months. After the 2060s, Lake Michigan will not freeze. Sharma, an associate professor at York University, has been studying ice for over a decade. Hazardous Weather Outlook The weather forecast is shown in local time in Lake Michigan. In July water temperature in some cities of Lake Michigan is above 68F and it is enough for comfortable bathing. Several ferries currently operate on the Great Lakes to carry passengers to various islands, including Beaver Island and Bois Blanc Island (Michigan). The most recent period with similar lake levels was 1986-1987. Despite their vast size, large sections of the Great Lakes freeze in winter, interrupting most shipping. The warmest water temperature is in August with an average around 70.5F / 21.4C. The annual harvest declined from an average of 11million pounds (5,000,000kg) from 1981 through to 1999 to more recent annual harvests of 8 to 9.5million pounds (3,600,000 to 4,300,000kg). Whilst sea temperatures for Lake Michigan are as accurate as current data allows, there may be slight local and regional variations depending on conditions. 68.4, You would have to be insane or getting paid to want to get in water this cold! Photo courtesy of Matt Zuro. However, if the lack of rain continues then the risk of an algae bloom is reduced. Air temperatures in Michigan vary from 18F to 34F during the winter months. Some downstream winds cause cold, deep waters to replace surface waters that have been warmed by the sun. These include brown trout, smallmouth bass, brown trout as well as salmon species. 52.2, 0.4], The primary driver of water levels are precipitation, evaporation, and river flow into the lakes, also referred to as "net basin supply." Average monthly sea temperatures in Lake Michigan Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec C: 3.4: 2.7: 2.7: 3.4: 4.7: 11.3: 19.6: 21.4: 19.3: By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charters respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate. For ease of search, all places are also grouped by the first letter of the name. Rich, Burr Ridge 52.5, [14] During the 1640s and 1650s, the Beaver Wars over the fur trade with the European colonies, initiated by the Iroquois, forced a massive demographic shift as their western neighbors fled the violence. The Muskegon River is full of steelhead fish in the middle of April. In August water temperature in some cities of Lake Michigan is above 68F and it is enough for comfortable bathing. Two passenger and vehicle ferries operate ferry services across Lake Michigan, both connecting Wisconsin on the western shore with Michigan on the east. Sorry, the location you searched for was not found. The measurements for the water temperature in Lake Michigan, Michigan are provided by the daily satellite readings provided by the NOAA. 11.4], Images on this page may contain affiliate links in which we may receive a commission. [35] In March 2014 BP's Whiting refinery was responsible for spilling more than 1,600 US gallons (6,100L) of oil into the lake. These Lake Michigan-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. This formation lies 40 feet (12m) below the surface of the lake. 58.8, Since 1990, GLERL scientists have been keeping track of the temperature in the middle of southern Lake Michigan. 5.5, Today water temperature in Lake Michigan is 35.4F. [30] The monthly average high-water records were broken for several months in a row in 2020. Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook 11.2, . [21][22] The warming of Lake Michigan was the subject of a 2018 report by Purdue University. Salmon can be found in large schools this month. [42] The prime commercial species is the lake whitefish. [South Haven] Water surface temperature values are available in real time. Many other water sports are practiced on the lakes, such as yachting, sea kayaking, diving, kitesurfing and lake surfing. There are numerous state and local parks located on the shores of the lake or on islands within the lake: Big Sable Point, Michigan in Ludington State Park, Lake view from the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, with people climbing uphill, Eichelman Park in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with Lake Michigan in the background, Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline from Portage, Indiana. 20 mph. 0.6, 39.6, Current weather. 41.9, The Great Lakes Circle Tour, a designated scenic road system, connects all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. August is the month with the highest water temperature at 77.9F / 25.5C. Seasonal Guide: Best Times to Catch Big Bass. Alternate names for Lake MichiganLac Dauphin, Lac Des Ilinois, Lac Ilinois, Lac Michigan, Lac des Eaux de Mer, Lacus Ilinois, Lago Michigan, Lake Ilinois, Lake Illinese, Lake Michigan, Le Lac de Saint Joseph, Machihiganing, Match-I-Hi-Gan-Ing, Match-i-hi-gan-ing, Michigami, Michigan Lake, Michigansee, Misch-I-Gon-Ong, Misch-i-gon-ong, Mishigan Lake, Missihiganin, Mitchiganons. ['March', Whether the data are measured in 'mm' over the lake surface or cubic meters per second ('cms', for those variables dealing with water volumes) For temperatures, whether the data are for the average 'max'imum, 'min'imum, or 'mean' air temperature over a particular month, and whether the temperatures are 'mod'elled (water temps). [Frankfort] To the east, its basin is conjoined with that of Lake Huron through the .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}3+12 miles (5.6 kilometres) wide, 295 feet (90 metres; 49 fathoms) deep,[8] Straits of Mackinac, giving it the same surface elevation as its easterly counterpart; the two are technically a single lake. The temperatures given are the sea surface temperature (SST) which is most relevant to recreational users. 4.2, 32.7, In general, this water temperature is unacceptable for swimming. July, June, August, September would be the best time to visit. ['June', Text Products The waters of Lake Michigan are full of largemouth bass. chart.draw(data, options); So, the air temperature at the same time will reach 35F. Average annual water temperature on the coast in Lake Michigan is 48F, by the seasons: in winter 38F, in spring 38F, in summer 62F, in autumn 54F. A lot of anglers choose to fish in the lake in the morning during the summer months. If we continue to generate greenhouse gases at current rate, Lake Superior would not freeze after the 2060s, said researcher Sapna Sharma. Lake Michigan Regions. Summary. Lake Michigan is home to a small variety of fish species and other organisms. These maps are mostly helpful for determining locations below the lake level at a given elevation. Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. October was exceptionally warm, with air temperatures at land sites around the lakes ranging from 5 to 10 degrees above long-term norms. Local anglers can catch a variety of fish species in the lake during the fall months. In general, the swimming season ends in September. ', 'AVG', 'Min. The great lakes are notorious for unstable and unpredictable ice conditions so be careful and never fish alone. Smallmouth bass fishing in Lake Michigan starts in May and continues until the middle of November. This program was so successful that the introduced population of trout and salmon exploded, resulting in the creation of a large sport fishery for these introduced species. The warmest water temperature is in August with an average around 70.5F / 21.4C. Lake Michigan is now stocked annually with steelhead, brown trout, and coho and chinook salmon, which have also begun natural reproduction in some Lake Michigan tributaries. Water temperature in Grand Traverse Bay today is 35.1F. Ontario. The National Weather Service in Duluth Minnesota noted that due to a warmer Lake Superior the lake is definitely primed for a good lake effect snow set up. 44.6, Salmon fishing on Lake Michigan is the best in spring and the early fall. El Nino 20.2, This is partly because of the prevailing winds from the west (which also cause thick layers of ice to build on the eastern shore in winter). [41] Michigan's commercial fishery today consists mainly of 150 tribe-licensed commercial fishing operations through the Chippewa-Ottawa Resource Authority and tribes belonging to the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, which harvest 50 percent of the Great Lakes commercial catch in Michigan waters, and 45 state-licensed commercial fishing enterprises. [Sheboygan] I grew up fishing for anything that swims but really loved fishing for trout, chain pickerel, bass, and bullheads in my teenage years. The nearest airport is located in a 75 kilometers. Water temperature in Grand Traverse Bay is . ['April', [Central Southern Region] "Mackinac Bridge History, Facts and Figures", Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, "The World's 25 Largest Lakes, Side by Side", "Superior Watershed Partnership Projects", "Variations in Sediment Accumulation Rates and the Flux of Labile Organic Matter in Eastern Lake Superior Basins", "Possible mastodon carving found on rock", "Rock brings history to surface (pictures)", "Lake Michigan is warming. Grand Traverse Bay in its northeast is another large bay. [20] In 2007, a row of stones paralleling an ancient shoreline was discovered by Mark Holley, professor of underwater archeology at Northwestern Michigan College. Contact Us. google.charts.setOnLoadCallback(drawChart); Great Lakes Coastal Forecasting System (GLCFS), Lake Huron waves and currents from 2018-2020. According to the study, lakes lose around 17 days of ice cover every century on average. The best time of the day to fish Lake Michigan in March is between the late morning and midday. google.visualization.events.addListener(chart, 'ready', function () {chart_waterF.innerHTML= '';}); Spring fishing in Lake Michigan is good between the middle of April and May. Snow and Ice Probabilities, Current Conditions 70.3, For example, 90% of the grain shipped from Chicago traveled by ships east over Lake Michigan during the antebellum years. The main inflow to Lake Michigan from Lake Superior, through Lake Huron, is controlled by the locks operated by the bi-national Lake Superior Board of Control. Long term average surface water temperature compared to current year (csv data files in degree Celsius or degree Fahrenheit) Superior. [12], Some of the most studied early human inhabitants of the Lake Michigan region were the Hopewell Native Americans. The Lake Express, established in 2004, carries passengers and vehicles across the lake between Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Muskegon, Michigan. They sought refuge west and north of Lake Michigan. Cities on the shores of Lake Michigan include: The National Park Service maintains the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Indiana Dunes National Park. The hottest avg. Great Lakes passenger steamers have been operating since the mid-19th century. [6][27], It is the larger half of Lake MichiganHuron, which is the largest body of fresh water in the world by surface area. series: { Here, you will find yourself walking on the singing sands of the shore or feasting your eyes on the beautiful blue waters of the lake. Milwaukee October 30, 2022. to as low as $0.40/lb during periods of high production. Lake Michigan is one of the largest lakes in North America and is home to some of the best trout and salmon fishing in the country. To find out the sea temperature today and in the coming days, go to Current sea temperature in Lake Michigan Lake Michigan surface temperature in July This makes for pleasant swimming but curbs its temperature moderation along the shore. Is Lake Michigan too cold to swim in summer? Parts of the shoreline are within the Hiawatha National Forest and the Manistee National Forest. Yellow perch goes to warmer waters in winter. Since the summer, abnormally high air temperatures have raised Great Lakes water temperatures. Its possible to find a lot of yellow perch in the lakes harbors and ports. [26] Lake Michigan has a surface area of 22,404sqmi (58,030km2); (13,237 square miles (34,280km2) lying in Michigan,[6] 7,358 square miles (19,060km2) in Wisconsin, 234 square miles (610km2) in Indiana, & 1,576 square miles (4,080km2) in Illinois) making it the largest lake entirely within one country by surface area (Lake Baikal in Russia is larger by water volume) and the fifth-largest lake in the world. Fishing on the lake is very productive as well. 17.9], The normal high-water mark is 2.00 feet (0.61m) above datum (577.5ft (176.0m)). Its possible to catch salmon species in the waters of Lake Michigan. Elevated lake levels increase impacts along the shore during storm events. The bar chart below shows the average monthly sea temperatures at Lake Michigan over the year. These include brown trout, smallmouth bass, brown trout as well as salmon species. August is the month with the hottest water temperature at 77.9F / 25.5C. On the other hand if you are an adrenalin junky, then go ahead and try out the swimming, hiking and horse back riding activities. 71.6, Fishing for rainbow trout is always exciting. Lake Michigan now averages 74 degrees on the surface, which is 11 degrees warmer than the historical average water temperature on this date. Enhanced Data Display (EDD) Average monthly sea temperatures in Lake Michigan . The Port of Chicago, operated by the Illinois International Port District, has grain (14million bushels) and bulk liquid (800,000 barrels) storage facilities along Lake Calumet. However, many fish species dont bite well during midday hours in summer. Timing can have a heavy influence on the success you have in catching bass.