Heavy Freezing Spray and Gale Warnings Issued for Outer Apostle Islands
This alert is no longer in effect.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 warnings for the Outer Apostle Islands as heavy freezing spray and gale-force winds threaten vessel stability through early Saturday.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Heavy Freezing Spray Warning
- Affected area
- Outer Apostle Islands
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Duluth MN
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 Outer Apostle Islands.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Duluth, MN, has issued a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning and a Gale Warning for maritime regions near the Apostle Islands. These alerts signify severe conditions that could lead to rapid ice accumulation and hazardous navigation for vessels.
Affected Areas
The warning is specifically in effect for the Outer Apostle Islands beyond 5 nautical miles (NM) from the mainland.
What You Should Do
Mariners are urged to prepare for dangerous ice accumulation on their vessels. The NWS recommends that mariners remain in port, seek safe harbor, or avoid the warning area entirely. If at sea, mariners should alter course, secure the vessel for hazardous conditions, and conduct mitigation to manage ice buildup.
Expected Conditions
- Freezing Spray: Heavy freezing spray is expected at a rate of 2 cm per hour or greater. This can lead to rapid ice accretion on decks and superstructures, which may result in a catastrophic loss of stability.
- Wind: West winds of 20 to 25 knots are expected, with gusts reaching up to 40 knots.
- Waves: Wave heights are forecast to reach between 5 and 8 feet.
- Equipment Impacts: Freezing spray may render mechanical and electronic components inoperative, while strong winds and waves may reduce visibility and damage vessels.
Timeline
- Gale Warning: Effective from noon Friday, February 27, until midnight CST Friday night.
- Heavy Freezing Spray Warning: Effective from 6:00 PM Friday, February 27, until 4:00 AM CST Saturday, February 28.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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