Heavy Freezing Spray Warning Issued for Lake Huron Waters Through Tuesday Afternoon
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 2, 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 a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for Lake Huron, forecasting rapid ice accumulation and waves up to 22 feet through Tuesday.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Heavy Freezing Spray Warning
- Affected area
- Lake Huron
- Issued
- April 2, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Detroit
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 Lake Huron.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Detroit/Pontiac MI has issued a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning (UPW) for portions of Lake Huron. This alert is issued when conditions are favorable for rapid ice accumulation on vessels, which can pose a significant threat to maritime safety.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following maritime regions:
- Lake Huron from 5NM east of Mackinac Bridge to Presque Isle Light, extending to the US/Canadian border beyond 5 NM from shore.
- Lake Huron from Presque Isle Light to Sturgeon Point, MI, from 5NM offshore to the US/Canadian border.
What You Should Do
Mariners are strongly advised to prepare for dangerous accumulation of ice on their vessels. If possible, remain in port or avoid the warning area entirely. Those already at sea should seek safe harbor, alter course to avoid the most hazardous conditions, and ensure vessels are properly secured. Rapid ice accretion on decks and superstructures can lead to a catastrophic loss of stability.
Expected Conditions
- Ice Accumulation: Heavy freezing spray is expected at a rate of 2 cm per hour or greater.
- Wind: Sustained northwest winds up to 36 knots are forecast, with gusts reaching up to 41 knots.
- Waves: Significant waves are expected to reach 15 feet, with potential maximum wave heights of up to 22 feet.
- Visibility: Strong winds and spray may significantly reduce visibility for mariners.
Timeline
The Heavy Freezing Spray Warning is effective from 2:00 PM EDT Monday, March 16, until 5:00 PM EDT Tuesday, March 17. Peak wind speeds are expected around 11:00 PM EDT Monday, while the largest waves are anticipated to occur around 3:00 AM EDT Tuesday. A concurrent Gale Warning remains in effect until 11:00 AM EDT Tuesday.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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