Heavy Freezing Spray Warning Issued for Western Lake Superior Through Wednesday Morning
This alert is no longer in effect.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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Mariners on western Lake Superior face dangerous conditions as the National Weather Service warns of rapid ice accumulation on vessels starting Tuesday night.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Heavy Freezing Spray Warning
- Affected area
- Western Lake Superior
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Marquette MI
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 Western Lake Superior.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Marquette, MI, has issued a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning for portions of Lake Superior. The warning is in effect from 10:00 PM EST (9:00 PM CST) this evening until 7:00 AM EST (6:00 AM CST) Wednesday.
Affected Areas
The warning covers Lake Superior west of a line extending from Saxon Harbor, Wisconsin, to Grand Portage, Minnesota, specifically for areas beyond 5 nautical miles (5NM) from shore.
What You Should Do
Mariners are urged to prepare for dangerous ice accumulation on their vessels. If possible, remain in port or avoid the warning area entirely. If transit is necessary, conduct mitigation efforts to manage ice buildup.
Expected Conditions
Heavy freezing spray is expected to occur at a rate of 2 cm per hour or greater. This spray may rapidly accumulate on vessels, creating hazardous operating conditions.
Timeline
- Onset: 10:00 PM EST / 9:00 PM CST, Tuesday, February 24, 2026
- Expiration: 7:00 AM EST / 6:00 AM CST, Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Potential Impacts
Operating a vessel under these conditions is extremely hazardous. Freezing spray can cause mechanical and electronic components to become inoperative. Furthermore, rapid ice accretion on decks and superstructures may result in a catastrophic loss of vessel stability.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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