Southern Lake Michigan · New Buffalo Harbor

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 New Buffalo Harbor.

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Chicago Lakefront Waukegan Harbor Winthrop Harbor / North Point Marina Geneva Lake (Lake Geneva, WI)Chain O' Lakes Kenosha Harbor Racine Harbor Milwaukee Lakefront Michigan City Harbor New Buffalo Harbor

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

Boating conditions summary

Caution

Caution — Wave height about 3.9 ft.

Wave height about 3.9 ft

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

6:16:52 AM

Sunset

7:13:37 PM

Current conditions

Observed near New Buffalo Harbor for recreational boaters. On-water conditions can differ from land station readings — always cross-check the nearshore marine forecast before you leave the harbor.

Michigan City Municipal Airport (KMGC) · Observed 9/5/2026, 11:15:00 PM

Air temp

70°F

Feels like

70°F

Conditions

Mostly Cloudy

Wind

0 mph

Wind direction

Gusts

Not currently available from source

Humidity

88%

Visibility

10 mi

Lake conditions · New Buffalo Harbor

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

~3.9 ft

Buoy

45174

NOAA buoy 45174 sits off Chicago — treat these readings as a southern Lake Michigan reference, not a local New Buffalo Harbor observation.

Active NOAA/NWS alerts

No active alerts for New Buffalo Harbor right now.

Next 24 hours

NWS hourly grid forecast for New Buffalo Harbor. Watch wind shifts and thunderstorm chances before afternoon lake trips.

11 PM

70°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

12 AM

69°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

1 AM

67°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

2 AM

66°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

3 AM

64°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

4 AM

63°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

5 AM

63°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

6 AM

61°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

7 AM

62°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

8 AM

64°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

9 AM

68°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

10 AM

69°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

11 AM

71°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

12 PM

74°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

1 PM

76°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

2 PM

76°

Sunny

Wind 5 mph · 0%

3 PM

76°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 0%

4 PM

77°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 0%

5 PM

76°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

6 PM

75°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

7 PM

73°

Mostly Clear

Wind 5 mph · 0%

8 PM

70°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

9 PM

68°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

10 PM

67°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 5 mph · 0%

7-day outlook

Overnight

61°F

Mostly Clear

Mostly clear, with a low around 61. East wind around 5 mph.

Wind E 5 mph · Precip 0%

Sunday

78°F

Sunny

Sunny, with a high near 78. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wind NE 5 to 10 mph · Precip 0%

Sunday Night

59°F

Mostly Clear

Mostly clear, with a low around 59. East wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wind E 5 to 10 mph · Precip 0%

Labor Day

80°F

Sunny

Sunny, with a high near 80. East wind around 5 mph.

Wind E 5 mph · Precip 0%

Monday Night

61°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Southeast wind around 5 mph.

Wind SE 5 mph · Precip 0%

Tuesday

87°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.

Wind S 5 to 10 mph · Precip 0%

Tuesday Night

73°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.

Wind S 5 to 15 mph · Precip 5%

Wednesday

86°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8am and 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Wind SW 10 to 15 mph · Precip 24%

Wednesday Night

68°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 68.

Wind W 10 mph · Precip 11%

Thursday

75°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.

Wind NW 5 to 10 mph · Precip 11%

Thursday Night

61°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 61.

Wind NE 5 mph · Precip 5%

Friday

77°F

Sunny

Sunny, with a high near 77.

Wind SW 5 mph · Precip 5%

Friday Night

63°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 63.

Wind S 5 to 10 mph · Precip 13%

Saturday

81°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.

Wind S 10 mph · Precip 14%

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

Caution

Caution — Wave height about 3.9 ft.

Wave height about 3.9 ft

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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