Heavy Freezing Spray Warning Issued for Central Lake Superior Waters
This alert is no longer in effect.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).
Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
Mariners on Lake Superior face dangerous conditions as a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning and Gale Warning take effect Wednesday, bringing significant ice accumulation and high waves.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Heavy Freezing Spray Warning
- Affected area
- Central Lake Superior
- 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 Central Lake Superior.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Marquette, MI, has issued a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning and a Gale Warning for specific offshore areas of Lake Superior. The Heavy Freezing Spray Warning is in effect from 4:00 AM EST Wednesday until 1:00 AM EST Thursday. A Gale Warning is also in effect from 1:00 AM to 1:00 PM EST Wednesday.
Affected Areas
The warning covers Lake Superior east of a line from Manitou Island to Marquette, Michigan, and west of a line from Grand Marais, Michigan, to the U.S./Canadian border. This alert applies to areas beyond five nautical miles from the shore.
What You Should Do
Mariners should prepare for dangerous accumulation of ice on their vessels. The National Weather Service recommends remaining in port, avoiding the warning area, or conducting mitigation. If at sea, mariners should alter plans, seek safe harbor, or secure the vessel for hazardous conditions. Rapid ice accretion on decks and superstructures may result in a catastrophic loss of stability.
Expected Conditions
Heavy freezing spray is expected to accumulate at a rate of 2 centimeters per hour or greater, which may rapidly render mechanical and electronic components inoperative. Additionally, northwest winds of 25 to 30 knots are forecast, with gusts reaching up to 35 knots. Wave heights are expected to range between 8 and 12 feet, creating conditions that could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility.
Timeline
- Gale Warning: Effective Wednesday, February 25, from 1:00 AM to 1:00 PM EST.
- Heavy Freezing Spray Warning: Effective from 4:00 AM EST Wednesday, February 25, until 1:00 AM EST Thursday, February 26.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
Related Weather Alerts
All Weather Alerts →Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this NWS weather alert.