Storm Warning Issued for Lake Michigan Coast from Michigan City to St. Joseph
This alert is no longer in effect.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 Storm Warning for the Lake Michigan shoreline from Michigan City to St. Joseph, with 50-knot gusts and 12-foot waves expected Friday.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Storm Warning
- Affected area
- Lake Michigan Shoreline (IN/MI)
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Northern Indiana
Storm notices can cover different combinations of wind, hail, lightning, and rainfall. Use the original notice for the hazards and boundaries attached to this specific record.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Lake Michigan Shoreline (IN/MI).
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Northern Indiana has issued a Storm Warning for the southeastern Lake Michigan shoreline. This severe marine alert is part of a series of hazardous weather notifications, including Gale Warnings, affecting the region's coastal waters.
Affected Areas
The warning specifically covers the coastal waters from Michigan City, Indiana, to St. Joseph, Michigan, including the area near New Buffalo, Michigan.
What You Should Do
Mariners are advised to take immediate precautions. The National Weather Service recommends that mariners remain in port, alter course to avoid the storm area, and/or secure their vessels for severe conditions. The expected conditions pose a significant risk of capsizing or damaging vessels and will likely reduce visibility to dangerous levels.
Expected Conditions
Conditions will vary throughout the alert period as the system moves through the area:
- Storm Warning Period: West winds of 30 to 35 knots are expected, with gusts reaching up to 50-knot storm force. Waves are forecast to reach heights of 7 to 12 feet.
- Gale Warning Periods: During the surrounding Gale Warnings, winds will range from 20 to 30 knots with gusts up to 40 knots. Waves during these periods are expected to range between 4 and 11 feet.
Timeline
The weather event follows a specific progression on Friday, March 13, 2026:
- Initial Gale Warning: Effective from 11:00 PM Thursday until 5:00 AM EDT Friday.
- Storm Warning: Effective from 5:00 AM to 5:00 PM EDT Friday.
- Secondary Gale Warning: Effective from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM EDT Friday.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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