Heavy Freezing Spray and Gale Warnings Issued for Michigan's Lake Superior Coast
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
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The National Weather Service has issued Heavy Freezing Spray and Gale Warnings for the waters between Marquette and Grand Marais, Michigan, through Tuesday afternoon.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Heavy Freezing Spray Warning
- Affected area
- Upper Peninsula Michigan Coast
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Marquette
The warning type, named area, and issue time define this record. Confirm all three against the original agency notice before treating it as current.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Upper Peninsula Michigan Coast.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Marquette, MI, has issued a series of maritime alerts, including a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning and a Gale Warning. These alerts indicate hazardous conditions for mariners on Lake Superior due to rapid ice accumulation and strong winds.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following maritime zones in Michigan:
- Marquette to Munising MI
- Munising to Grand Marais MI
What You Should Do
Mariners are advised to prepare for a dangerous accumulation of ice on their vessels. If possible, remain in port or avoid the warning area. Those already at sea should seek safe harbor, alter course, or conduct mitigation efforts to secure the vessel for hazardous conditions. Rapid ice accretion on decks and superstructures can result in a catastrophic loss of stability.
Expected Conditions
- Freezing Spray: Heavy freezing spray is occurring and expected at a rate of 2 cm per hour or greater. This may cause mechanical and electronic components to become inoperative.
- Wind: For the Gale Warning, south winds of 15 to 25 knots are expected, with gusts reaching up to 35 knots.
- Waves: Current waves are between 3 to 6 feet, with waves of 1 to 4 feet expected during the Gale Warning period.
- Visibility: Strong winds and spray may significantly reduce visibility and create conditions capable of capsizing or damaging vessels.
Timeline
- Heavy Freezing Spray Warning (Current): In effect until 7:00 PM EST this evening.
- Small Craft Advisory: In effect until 9:00 PM EST this evening.
- Heavy Freezing Spray Warning (Second): Effective from 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM EST Tuesday.
- Gale Warning: Effective from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST Tuesday.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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