NOAA/NationalNOAA/National WeatherWeather ServiceService Great Lakes Marine Forecast Services

Web Pages Visit the NEW Great Lakes Marine Web Page for all of your forecast needs. This web page consolidates forecast information from all of the Great Lakes NWS Offices into one-stop, to increase ease and usability. Forecasts can be NWS Great Lakes Marine Page viewed in graphical, text or tabular formats by clicking on any point on the www.weather.gov/greatlakes map. Current observations, water levels, and water temperatures can also be accessed from this site at www.weather.gov/greatlakes. Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) www.glerl.noaa.gov

National Data Buoy Center www.ndbc.noaa.gov Click anywhere on the NOAA Nautical Charts map to zoom in, www.chartmaker.ncd.noaa.gov click again for a text forecast. Great Lakes Water Levels www.glakesonline.nos.noaa.gov

NOA A nowCOAST www.nowcoast.noaa.gov

NWS National Home Page www.weather.gov

N O A A Home Page www.noaa.gov

NOAA Weather Radio www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr

Storm Prediction Center www.spc.noaa.gov

NOAA National Weather Service Great Lakes Forecast Offices

NWS Detroit/White Lake MI Quick access to radar, satellite, digital graphics, and hazards! NWS Cleveland OH NWS Buffalo NY NOAA’s NationalWeather Service issues marine warnings and forecasts for NWS Chicago IL the U.S. waters of Lake St. Clair, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Lake NWS Marquette MI Superior, Lake Michigan and interconnecting waterways. Our Advanced NWS North Central Indiana Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) allows us to continuously NWS Grand Rapids MI monitor and integrate satellite data, Doppler Radar, surface and buoy NWS Gaylord MI observations, ship reports, and Coast Guard observations to stay on top of NWS Duluth MN changing weather scenarios and warn mariners of impending hazards. NWS Milwaukee WI Through careful analysis and interpretation, NOAA/NWS meteorologists NWS Green Bay WI produce high resolution graphical forecasts. This information is available free online and can be heard on the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards. MARINE FORECAST MARINE PRODUCTS, WATCHES, WARNINGS, ADVISORIES We issue routine forecasts for the near shore and open waters of each of SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY: Issued only for OPEN LAKE FORECAST: Routine 5 day the Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair, and the near shore waters and Lake St. Clair text forecast of wind, waves, weather, interconnecting waterways of the St. when sustained wind speeds within the hazards for the open waters of each Mary’s River, St. Clair River, Detroit range of 15-25 knots or wave heights of Great Lake plus Lake St. Clair. MAFOR River, and Niagara 3-5 feet. code is embedded within the Open River. These forecasts BRISK WIND ADVISORY: Same as a Lake GLF product. contain wind direction Small Craft Advisory, except reserved for MAFOR: Generic Coded forecast within and speed, wave ice covered near shore areas. the Open Lake forecast describing height and weather GALE WATCH/WARNING: A warning of wind, wave, weather condition in the conditions such as sustained 10 meter winds, or frequent first 24 hours of the forecast at se- rain, snow, fog, gusts, in the range of 34-47 knots. lected points in the open lake. thunderstorms, and Warnings issued for first 24 hours of the NEARSHORE FORECAST: A 48 hour freezing spray. forecast. Watches issued if Gale text forecast of wind , waves and conditions are expected between 24 and weather for waters within 5 miles of WEATHER RADIO 60 hours. shore plus selected interconnecting Your marine forecast can also be STORM WATCH/WARNING: A warning of waterways. heard on the NOAA Weather Radio sustained 10 meter winds, or frequent GREAT LAKES STORM SUMMARY: A All Hazards Network. We continue gusts, in the range of 48-63 knots. summary for all of the Great Lakes Warnings issued for first 24 hours of the whenever storm or hurricane force forecast. Watches issued if Storm winds are observed and expected to conditions are expected between 24 and continue for 6 hours or more. Issued 60 hours. by NWS Cleveland. SPECIAL MARINE WARNING: Issued for a GREAT LAKES ICE OUTLOOK: Issued brief/sudden occurrence of sustained during ice season by NWS Cleveland wind or frequent gusts > 34 knots and/or containing observed and a 5 day fore- waterspouts, usually associated with cast of ice conditions for all Great thunderstorms. Lakes. MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT: Issued GREAT LAKES FREEZE-UP OUTLOOK: to provide details on significant or Issued 4 times in November and De- potentially hazardous conditions, cember describing whether freeze-up including updates to Special Marine will occur earlier or later than normal. Warnings. GREAT LAKES ICE OUTLOOK FOR OPEN- DENSE FOG ADVISORY: Widespread ING OF NAVIGATION: Issued around visibilities reduced to one quarter mile or March 1 each year summarizing ice less in dense fog. cover and thickness and a listing of HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WATCH/ dates when normal shipping activities our expansion of this life saving WARNING: An accumulation of freezing may resume. network with more emphasis on water droplets on a vessel at a rate of 2 ICE ADVISORIES: Issued when likeli- marine weather conditions! The cm per hour or greater caused by some hood of rapid ice formation/drift could marine forecasts and observations combination of cold water, wind, cold air, adversely affect or close normal ship- can be heard every 10 minutes temperature, and vessel movement. ping areas. starting at the top of each hour. HURRICANE FORCE WIND WATCH/ TORNADO WATCH: Issued when condi- WARNING: A warning of sustained 10 tions are favorable for the development DIAL-A-BUOY meter winds or frequent gusts greater of tornadoes/waterspouts and damag- Perhaps you want the information than 63 knots. Warnings issued for first ing thunderstorm winds. Usually for the from a buoy, now you can Dial-A- 24 hours. Watches issued if conditions first 8 hours of the forecast. Buoy using any touch tone or cell expected between 24 and 60 hours. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH: Is- phone (228) 688-1948 . HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK: Daily sued when conditions are favorable for product covering expected marine and the development of dangerous thunder- land hazards through the next 7 days. storm winds and large hail. Usually for LOW WATER ADVISORY: An advisory the first 8 hours of the forecast. that may be issued to describe water GREAT LAKES MARINE WEATHER levels which are significantly below BROADCAST: An automated round-up average levels and may have an impact of all Great Lakes marine weather ob- on safe navigation. servations and ship observations and MARINE WATCH AND WARNING: Text distributed every 3 hours. The product product issued by each NWS marine is disseminated as a text product and office summarizing headlines for broadcast over specified outlets. hazardous conditions for their forecast area.