Southern Lake Michigan · Chain O' Lakes

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 Chain O' Lakes.

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Forecasts come from the nearest National Weather Service grid and station for each area.

Boating conditions summary

Good

Good — No elevated wind, wave, or advisory factors from available data.

No elevated wind, wave, or advisory factors from available data

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

6:22:05 AM

Sunset

7:19:54 PM

Current conditions

Observed near Chain O' Lakes 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, 10:20:00 PM

Air temp

68°F

Feels like

68°F

Conditions

Partly Cloudy

Wind

6 mph

Wind direction

Gusts

Not currently available from source

Humidity

100%

Visibility

10 mi

Lake conditions · Chain O' Lakes

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

Not currently available from source

Buoy

Not currently available from source

No NOAA buoy reports for Chain O' Lakes. NOAA buoy 45174 is a Chicago nearshore Lake Michigan reference and does not describe conditions on this inland lake.

Active NOAA/NWS alerts

No active alerts for Chain O' Lakes right now.

Next 24 hours

NWS hourly grid forecast for Chain O' Lakes. Watch wind shifts and thunderstorm chances before afternoon lake trips.

10 PM

68°

Mostly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

11 PM

67°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

12 AM

67°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

1 AM

66°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

2 AM

66°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

3 AM

65°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

4 AM

64°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

5 AM

64°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

6 AM

63°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

7 AM

64°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

8 AM

67°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 1%

9 AM

70°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 1%

10 AM

74°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 1%

11 AM

75°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 1%

12 PM

76°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

1 PM

76°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

2 PM

76°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

3 PM

76°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

4 PM

75°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

5 PM

74°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

6 PM

72°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

7 PM

69°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

8 PM

68°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

9 PM

65°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

7-day outlook

Tonight

62°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy. Low around 62, with temperatures rising to around 64 overnight. North northeast wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Wind NNE 5 mph · Precip 0%

Sunday

77°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny. High near 77, with temperatures falling to around 74 in the afternoon. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wind ENE 5 to 10 mph · Precip 1%

Sunday Night

59°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy. Low around 59, with temperatures rising to around 61 overnight. Northeast wind 0 to 10 mph.

Wind NE 0 to 10 mph · Precip 0%

Labor Day

79°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. East southeast wind 0 to 10 mph.

Wind ESE 0 to 10 mph · Precip 0%

Monday Night

61°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Southeast wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

Wind SE 5 mph · Precip 0%

Tuesday

86°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.

Wind S 5 to 15 mph · Precip 3%

Tuesday Night

70°F

Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

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

Wind SSW 5 to 10 mph · Precip 25%

Wednesday

87°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

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

Wind WSW 10 mph · Precip 25%

Wednesday Night

61°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 61.

Wind WNW 0 to 10 mph · Precip 8%

Thursday

79°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.

Wind NW 0 to 5 mph · Precip 8%

Thursday Night

57°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 57.

Wind NW 0 to 5 mph · Precip 5%

Friday

80°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.

Wind SSW 0 to 5 mph · Precip 7%

Friday Night

59°F

Partly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers

A slight chance of rain showers after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 59.

Wind SSW 0 to 5 mph · Precip 15%

Saturday

83°F

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny

A slight chance of rain showers before 7am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.

Wind SW 5 to 10 mph · Precip 15%

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Ratings and review counts from GetYourGuide (or Viator where noted). Not BoatingChicago reviews.

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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

Good

Good — No elevated wind, wave, or advisory factors from available data.

No elevated wind, wave, or advisory factors from available data

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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