Special Marine Warning Issued for Lake Michigan from Michigan City to St. Joseph

Source: NOAA · Lake Michigan (Indiana and Michigan)

This alert is no longer in effect.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.

The National Weather Service has issued a Special Marine Warning for Lake Michigan waters between Michigan City and St. Joseph until 7:15 PM EST as strong thunderstorms move through the area.

Read this weather record in 30 seconds

Record type
Special Marine Warning
Affected area
Lake Michigan (Indiana and Michigan)
Issued
April 6, 2026
Issuing authority
NWS Northern Indiana

Marine notices apply to named waters or shoreline zones. They may not describe conditions on land, even when the nearest place name is the same.

Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Lake Michigan (Indiana and Michigan).

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Northern Indiana has issued a Special Marine Warning for portions of Lake Michigan. The alert is in effect until 7:15 PM EST on March 6, 2026.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the following marine zones:

  • New Buffalo, MI to St. Joseph, MI
  • Michigan City, IN to New Buffalo, MI
  • Lake Michigan from Michigan City, IN to St. Joseph, MI, extending from 5 nautical miles offshore to the mid-line of the lake.

Specific locations impacted include New Buffalo and Michigan City.

What You Should Do

Mariners and those on the water should move to safe harbor immediately. Remain in a secure location until the hazardous weather conditions have passed. Small craft are especially vulnerable and could be damaged by the sudden onset of high winds and waves.

Expected Conditions

At 5:39 PM EST, radar indicated a line of strong thunderstorms extending from 11 nautical miles northeast of Indiana Harbor to near Burns Harbor and Gary. These storms are moving northeast at 45 knots.

  • Hazards: Wind gusts reaching nearly 50 knots.
  • Source: Radar-indicated.
  • Impacts: Expect suddenly higher waves and dangerous wind conditions capable of damaging small craft.

Timeline

The warning was issued at 5:40 PM EST and is scheduled to remain in effect until 7:15 PM EST this evening.

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?
The National Weather Service has issued a Special Marine Warning for Lake Michigan waters between Michigan City and St. Joseph until 7:15 PM EST as strong thunderstorms move through the area.
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 Lake Michigan (Indiana and Michigan). 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.