Every fall, the lake experiences a turnover a mixing of the layers that results in similar temperatures throughout. Lower Saginaw Bay is expected to reach 80F later this week. [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. Holiday Climate Data [43], Like all of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan is today used as a major mode of transport for bulk goods. The biggest surprise is Lake Superior with water temps near 70F along the western shore near Duluth, Ashland, and Ontonagon. Weeks of hot weather, scant precipitation, and low winds have pushed the water temps into near-record temps in four of the five Great Lakes. 4.2, CoCoRaHs Full-day fishing trips are suitable for anglers, who want to get the most out of a fishing trip on Lake Michigan. 25.2, The weather is getting warmer in summer, so fish become more active during this time of the year. Fish starts feeding actively at the beginning of the month. Want to Know the Best Time of Day to Fish? Monthly Lake Michigan water temperature chart. We use cookies to best represent our site. 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. [30] The monthly average high-water records were broken for several months in a row in 2020. The weather forecast is shown in local time in Lake Michigan. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of cookies. The Lake Express, established in 2004, carries passengers and vehicles across the lake between Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Muskegon, Michigan. Lake Michigan average November sea temperature Lake Michigan water temperature right now Below are the cities and resorts in Lake Michigan with the values of water temperature today and yesterday. The graph below shows the range of monthly water temperatures over several years. Please Contact Us. 1: {gridlines: {color: 'black'}, The warmest water temperature in Lake Michigan today is 37.2F (Manistee), and the coldest temperature is 32.2F (Escanaba). The lakes were frozen 11 days later and thawed seven days sooner. Minimum water temperature (34F) in Lake Michigan it happens in March, maximum (73F) in July. 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. 33.8, The lake's average depth is 46 fathoms 3 feet (279ft; 85 m), while its greatest depth is 153 fathoms 5 feet (923ft; 281m). Photo courtesy ofBill Snyder. Below are the cities and resorts in Lake Michigan with the values of water temperature today and yesterday. Summary. USGS Current Water Data for Michigan It was originally home to lake whitefish, lake trout, yellow perch, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and bowfin, as well as some species of catfish. Yellow perch goes to warmer waters in winter. [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. The graph below shows the range of monthly Lake Michigan water temperature derived from many years of historical sea surface temperature data. The best time of the day to fish Lake Michigan in March is between the late morning and midday. 0: { color: '#FF6347', targetAxisIndex:0 }, 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: All NOAA, More water level information from water.weather.gov. [South Haven] Grand Traverse Bay in its northeast is another large bay. Outlooks Steelhead run begins after the salmon run. 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: title: 'Water Temperature Graph: Lake Michigan', Retrieved from. [25], Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake that is wholly within the borders of the United States; the others are shared with Canada. Hundreds of thousands of salmon head into rivers and smaller creeks to spawn and die. Global Land One-kilometer Base Elevation (GLOBE) v.1. 1C / 34F. Winter steelhead bites well in the lake from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. February: Its possible to fish for rainbow trout and brown trout in the late winter. Great Lakes Marine Portal The best time of a day to fish for steelhead in Lake Michigan in December is between morning and afternoon. Air temperatures in Michigan vary from 28F to 69F during the spring months. Fall steelhead are well-known for their aggressive bites. Twelve million people live along Lake Michigan's shores, mainly in the Chicago and Milwaukee metropolitan areas. Current Conditions }. All that warm water is potential energy for precipitation production. ['February', Our report for Great Lakes is compiled using satellite data together with in-situ observations to get the most reliable daily data of sea surface temperatures, surf forecasts, current temperatures and weather forecasts. Also, water cools down in the afternoon during hot months. 5.5, How cold is Lake Michigan water? - 2023 75.2, The first reports of the smelly black muck were reported near Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area on the western edge of Saginaw Bay. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Lake Erie, please check out this helpful article. Frankfort, Platte Bay, and Grand Haven are good fishing spots to target Lake Michigan in the fall. ['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). The map shows Lake Michigan average temperature water in July in some coastal cities, To find out what the water temperature was in Lake Michigan any day over a period of the last ten years, select the month, Want to know where the water temperature in July is good for swimming? 39.6, At the start of the year, only 3% of the Great Lakes were covered in . The chances to catch a trophy fish are high during this time of the year. Average Temperature in Lake Michigan Beach The warm season lasts for 3.7 months, from May 29 to September 19, with an average daily high temperature above 71F. The temperatures given are the sea surface temperature (SST) which is most relevant to recreational users. June is the month with the lowest precipitation of 0in / 0mm and January with the highest precipitation in a year with 1.8in / 45.6mm. Ice fishing has to be done in shallow waters. [ Beaver Island] [ Escanaba] [ Leland] [ Frankfort] [ Manistee] [ Ludington] [ Pentwater] See our affiliate disclosure for details. Located on the southern side of the straits is the town of Mackinaw City, Michigan, the site of Fort Michilimackinac, a reconstructed French fort founded in 1715, and on the northern side is St. Ignace, Michigan, site of a French Catholic mission to the Indians, founded in 1671. Lightning As a result of improvements to the Welland Canal in 1918, an invasion of sea lampreys and overharvesting, there has been a decline in native lake trout populations, ultimately causing an increase in the population of another invasive species, the alewife. Its a good idea to fish Lake Michigan during afternoon hours at any time of the year. Fishing for largemouth bass is incredible. 15, Its possible to catch salmon species in the waters of Lake Michigan. Steel mills and refineries operate near the Indiana shoreline. format: '#C'}, US Dept of Commerce 4: { color: '#FFCC66', targetAxisIndex:1, lineWidth: 0 }, var chart = new google.visualization.LineChart(chart_waterF); [Manistee] Spring fishing in Lake Michigan is good between the middle of April and May. Water temperature in Lake Michigan (United States) in August According to the study, lakes lose around 17 days of ice cover every century on average. Seasonal overturn and stratification changes drive deep-water - Nature The bar chart below shows the average monthly sea temperatures at Lake Michigan over the year. ['December', NOAA is reporting that water temperature is running 6 to 10 degrees above normal, resulting in setting new records on lakes Michigan-Huron, Erie, and Ontario. Summer is the best season for trophy-class salmon. Wind direction is a significant factor for the Lake Michigan water temperature. [Racine] [Michigan City] GLERL One of the stones is said to have a carving resembling a mastodon. Great Lakes water levels are based upon a combination of multiple factors, including precipitation, evaporation, river flow into the lakes, river flow out of the lakes, and other diversions. 10.1], A lot of steelhead can be found in the rivers around the lake. The coldest month is March with an water temperature of 32.9F / 0.5C. Questions? Whilst sea temperatures for Lake Michigan are as accurate as current data allows, there may be slight local and regional variations depending on conditions. According to our forecast, the water temperature in Lake Michigan will slowly rise for at least the next 10 days and reach a value of 37F. The measurements for the water temperature in Lake Michigan, Michigan are provided by the daily satellite readings provided by the NOAA. In August water temperature in some cities of Lake Michigan is above 68F and it is enough for comfortable bathing. However, many fish species dont bite well during midday hours in summer. Michigan water temperature right now Below are the cities and resorts in Michigan with the values of water temperature today and yesterday. Privacy Policy ['August', [40] Many seasonal residents have summer homes along the waterfront and return to other homes for the winter.