Southern Lake Michigan · Waukegan 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 Waukegan Harbor.

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

Boating conditions summary

Caution

Caution — Wave height about 3.6 ft.

Wave height about 3.6 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

6:20:39 AM

Sunset

7:18:24 PM

Current conditions

Observed near Waukegan 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.

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 · Waukegan 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

~3.6 ft

Buoy

45174

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

Active NOAA/NWS alerts

No active alerts for Waukegan Harbor right now.

Next 24 hours

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

10 PM

68°

Mostly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

11 PM

68°

Mostly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

12 AM

69°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

1 AM

69°

Mostly Clear

Wind 10 mph · 0%

2 AM

70°

Mostly Clear

Wind 10 mph · 0%

3 AM

69°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

4 AM

68°

Mostly Clear

Wind 10 mph · 0%

5 AM

68°

Mostly Clear

Wind 10 mph · 0%

6 AM

67°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 0%

7 AM

68°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 0%

8 AM

69°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 0%

9 AM

70°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

10 AM

71°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

11 AM

72°

Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

12 PM

72°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

1 PM

73°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

2 PM

72°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

3 PM

72°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

4 PM

71°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

5 PM

71°

Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 mph · 1%

6 PM

70°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

7 PM

69°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

8 PM

69°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

9 PM

68°

Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 mph · 0%

7-day outlook

Tonight

66°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy. Low around 66, with temperatures rising to around 68 overnight. Northeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Wind NE 10 mph · Precip 0%

Sunday

73°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny. High near 73, with temperatures falling to around 71 in the afternoon. East northeast wind around 10 mph.

Wind ENE 10 mph · Precip 1%

Sunday Night

64°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy. Low around 64, with temperatures rising to around 66 overnight. East wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wind E 5 to 10 mph · Precip 0%

Labor Day

75°F

Sunny

Sunny, with a high near 75. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wind SE 5 to 10 mph · Precip 0%

Monday Night

65°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Southeast wind around 10 mph.

Wind SE 10 mph · Precip 0%

Tuesday

82°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.

Wind S 10 to 15 mph · Precip 3%

Tuesday Night

71°F

Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71.

Wind SSW 10 to 15 mph · Precip 19%

Wednesday

84°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 84.

Wind WSW 10 to 15 mph · Precip 21%

Wednesday Night

64°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.

Wind WNW 5 to 10 mph · Precip 8%

Thursday

75°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.

Wind NW 5 to 10 mph · Precip 8%

Thursday Night

62°F

Partly Cloudy

Partly cloudy, with a low around 62.

Wind NW 5 mph · Precip 5%

Friday

76°F

Mostly Sunny

Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.

Wind SW 5 to 10 mph · Precip 6%

Friday Night

64°F

Partly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers

A slight chance of rain showers after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.

Wind S 5 mph · Precip 15%

Saturday

80°F

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny

A slight chance of rain showers before 7am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.

Wind SSW 5 to 10 mph · Precip 15%

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 3.6 ft.

Wave height about 3.6 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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