Storm Warning Issued for Lake Michigan Nearshore from Winthrop Harbor to Gary
This alert is no longer in effect.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 Lake Michigan nearshore waters, with winds up to 50 knots and waves reaching 10 feet expected Friday.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Storm Warning
- Affected area
- Lake Michigan Nearshore (IL/IN)
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Chicago IL
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 Nearshore (IL/IN).
Alert Details
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Chicago IL has issued a Storm Warning for the nearshore waters of Lake Michigan. This alert is issued alongside two separate Gale Warnings covering the period before and after the peak storm conditions.
Affected Areas
The warning affects the following geographic regions along the Lake Michigan shoreline:
- Winthrop Harbor to Wilmette Harbor, IL
- Wilmette Harbor to Northerly Island, IL
- Northerly Island to Calumet Harbor, IL
- Calumet Harbor, IL to Gary, IN
What You Should Do
Mariners are urged to take immediate precautions. The NWS instructs that mariners should remain in port, alter course, and/or secure their vessels for severe conditions. Storm-force winds and hazardous waves are capable of capsizing or damaging vessels and will significantly reduce visibility.
Expected Conditions
Conditions will vary throughout the alert period:
- Storm Warning Period: West winds up to 50 knots are expected. Significant waves will reach 8 feet, with occasional waves up to 10 feet.
- Initial Gale Warning: Southwest winds up to 45 knots with waves between 8 and 10 feet.
- Final Gale Warning: Northwest winds up to 45 knots with waves between 6 and 8 feet.
Timeline
The weather event follows a specific progression on Friday, March 13:
- First Gale Warning: Effective from 10:00 PM Thursday to 4:00 AM CDT Friday.
- Storm Warning: Effective from 4:00 AM to 4:00 PM CDT Friday.
- Second Gale Warning: Effective from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM CDT Friday.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
Related Weather Alerts
All Weather Alerts →Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this NWS weather alert.