Heavy Freezing Spray Warning Issued for Lake Superior Coastal Waters Near Marquette

Source: NOAA · Upper Peninsula Michigan Coastal 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This alert is no longer in effect.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.

NWS Marquette has issued a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning and Small Craft Advisory for Michigan coastal waters, citing rapid ice accumulation and hazardous winds through Wednesday.

Read this weather record in 30 seconds

Record type
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning
Affected area
Upper Peninsula Michigan Coastal Waters
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 Coastal Waters.

Alert Details

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Marquette, MI, has issued a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning and a Small Craft Advisory for several coastal zones. The Heavy Freezing Spray Warning is classified as a severe alert, indicating a likely threat to maritime safety.

Affected Areas

The following geographic regions in Michigan are affected:

  • Manitou Island to Point Isabelle
  • Point Isabelle to the Lower Entrance of Portage Canal
  • Portage Lake to Huron Island
  • Keweenaw and Huron Bays
  • Huron Islands to Marquette

What You Should Do

Mariners are urged to prepare for dangerous ice accumulation on their vessels. If possible, remain in port, avoid the warning area, or conduct mitigation efforts. Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid navigating in these hazardous conditions to prevent accidents.

Expected Conditions

  • Ice Accumulation: Heavy freezing spray is expected at a rate of 2 cm per hour or greater, which may rapidly accumulate on vessels.
  • Wind: West winds between 15 to 25 knots, with gusts reaching up to 30 knots.
  • Waves: Wave heights of 1 to 4 feet are occurring.
  • Hazards: Operating a vessel in these conditions is hazardous. Freezing spray can render mechanical and electronic components inoperative, and rapid ice accretion on decks and superstructures may result in a catastrophic loss of stability.

Timeline

  • Heavy Freezing Spray Warning: Effective from 1:00 AM to 4:00 PM EST Wednesday, February 25.
  • Small Craft Advisory: Effective until 1:00 AM EST Thursday, February 26.

Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this NWS weather alert.

What is this NWS weather alert about?
NWS Marquette has issued a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning and Small Craft Advisory for Michigan coastal waters, citing rapid ice accumulation and hazardous winds through Wednesday.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by NOAA. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "high" severity. Take precautions and monitor for updates.
What area is affected?
This alert affects Upper Peninsula Michigan Coastal Waters. Check with NOAA for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Weather Alerts updates?
Browse the full Weather Alerts feed on Areazine at areazine.com/weather/ for the latest updates from NOAA and other agencies.