Marine Forecast Offices & Centers provide links to their products as well as additional regionally focused information. Click on map for links.

Did you know that the height of some individual waves may be twice the height of the forecast seas? And may present an even greater danger near shore?

This page under continuous construction.....Please take a moment to read the information at the bottom of this page.

This is NOT a complete listing of NWS marine forecast products for this area. See the National Weather Service Marine Forecasts webpage which contains information on the dissemination of NWS marine weather forecasts including frequency and broadcast schedule information as well as links to products and related information.

National Weather Service Coastal and Offshore forecast products listed on this webpage are subdivided by zone, each identified by a Universal Generic Code(UGC) e.g. ANZ050, and a Special Area Messaging Encoder (SAME) code, e.g. 073050. SAME codes are used to program SAME-capable NOAA Weather Radio receivers to receive alert messages for user-specified areas.

A graphic version of this page is available. The entire text of these forecasts may be found at NWS Production Schedule for Marine Text Products or the low-bandwidth-friendly National Weather Service Marine Forecasts page which also serve as alternate sources of data.

These forecasts are also available via e-mail

Great Lakes Marine Text Forecasts by Zone

• ALL LAKES FORECASTS

• Water Levels weekly

• OPEN LAKE ZONE FORECASTS

Explanation of the MAFOR code

LAKE SUPERIOR
• Lake Superior (U.S. portion) - all zones
• Lake Superior MAFOR only(LSZ261/091261¹)
• Lake Superior west of a line from Saxon Harbor WI to Grand Portage MN beyond 5 NM (LSZ162/091162)
• Lake Superior from Saxon Harbor WI to Upper Entrance to Portage Canal MI 5 NM offshore to the U.S./Canadian border including Isle Royal National Park (LSZ263/091263)
• Lake Superior from Upper Entrance to Portage Canal to Manitou Island MI 5 NM offshore to the U.S./Canadian border (LSZ264/091264)
• Lake Superior east of a line from Manitou Island to Marquette MI and west of a line from Grand Marais MI to the U.S./Canadian border beyond 5 NM from shore (LSZ265/091265)
• Lake Superior from Grand Marais MI to Whitefish Point MI 5 NM offshore to the U.S./Canadian border (LSZ266/091266)
• Lake Superior from Grand Marais MI to Whitefish Point MI 5 NM offshore to the U.S./Canadian border (LSZ267/091267)
LAKE MICHIGAN
• Lake Michigan - all zones
• Lake Michigan MAFOR only(LMZ761/092761¹)
• Lake Michigan from Seul Choix Point to Rock Island Passage 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ261/092261)
• Lake Michigan south of a line from Seul Choix Point to the Mackinac Bridge and north of a line from Charlevoix MI to South Fox Island 5 NM offshore (LMZ362/092362)
• Lake Michigan from Charlevoix to Point Betsie MI 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ364/092364)
• Lake Michigan from Point Betsie to Manistee MI 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ366/092366)
• Lake Michigan from Rock Island Passage to Sturgeon Bay WI 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ563/092563)
• Lake Michigan from Sturgeon Bay to Two Rivers WI 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ565/092565)
• Lake Michigan from Two Rivers to Sheboygan WI 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ567/092567)
• Lake Michigan from Sheboygan to Port Washington WI 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ669/092669)
• Lake Michigan from Port Washington to North Point Light WI 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ671/092671)
• Lake Michigan from North Point Light to Wind Point WI 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ673/092673)
• Lake Michigan from Wind Point WI to Winthrop Harbor IL 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ675/092675)
• Lake Michigan from Winthrop Harbor to Wilmette Harbor IL 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ777/092777)
• Lake Michigan from Wilmette Harbor IL to Michigan City IN 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ779/092779)
• Lake Michigan from Michigan City IN to St. Joseph MI 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ080/092080)
• Lake Michigan from St. Joseph to South Haven MI 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ878/092878)
• Lake Michigan from South Haven to Holland MI 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ876/092876)
• Lake Michigan from Holland to Grand Haven MI 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ874/092874)
• Lake Michigan from Grand Haven to Whitehall MI 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ872/092872)
• Lake Michigan from Whitehall to Pentwater MI 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ870/092870)
• Lake Michigan from Pentwater to Manistee MI 5 NM offshore to mid lake (LMZ868/092868)
LAKE HURON
• Lake Huron (U.S. portion) - all zones
• Lake Huron MAFOR (LHZ461/093461¹)
• Lake Huron from 5 NM east of Mackinac Bridge to Presque Isle Light MI to the U.S./Canadian border 5 NM offshore (LHZ361/093361)
• Lake Huron from Presque Isle Light to Sturgeon Point MI 5 NM offshore to the U.S./Canadian border (LHZ362/093362)
• Lake Huron from Sturgeon Point to Alabaster MI 5 NM offshore to the U.S./Canadian border (LHZ363/093363)
• Lake Huron Port Austin to Harbor Beach MI 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LHZ462/093462)
• Lake Huron Harbor Beach to Port Sanilac MI 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LHZ463/093463)
• Lake Huron Port Sanilac to Port Huron 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LHZ464/093464)
LAKE ST CLAIR
• Lake St. Clair (U.S. portion) (LCZ460/094460¹)
LAKE ERIE
• Lake Erie (U.S. portion) - all zones
• Lake Erie MAFOR only(LEZ161/096161¹)
• Detroit River Light to Maumee Bay OH to Reno Beach OH beyond 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LEZ162/096162)
• Reno Beach to The Islands OH beyond 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LEZ163/096163)
• The Islands to Vermilion OH beyond 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LEZ164/096164)
• Vermilion to Avon Point OH beyond 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LEZ165/096165)
• Avon Point to Willowick OH beyond 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LEZ166/096166)
• Willowick to Geneva-on-the Lake OH beyond 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LEZ167/096167)
• Geneva-on-the-Lake to Conneaut OH beyond 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LEZ168/096168)
• Conneaut OH to Ripley NY beyond 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LEZ169/096169)
• Ripley to Buffalo NY extending from 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LEZ061/096061)
LAKE ONTARIO
• Lake Ontario (U.S. portion) - all zones
• Lake Ontario MAFOR only(LOZ061/097061¹)
• Niagara River to Hamlin Beach NY beyond 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LOZ062/097062)
• Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay NY beyond 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LOZ063/097063)
• Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay NY beyond 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LOZ064/097064)
• Mexico Bay NY to the St. Lawrence River beyond 5 NM offshore to U.S./Canadian border (LOZ065/097065)




• NEARSHORE MARINE ZONE FORECASTS

NWS nearshore forecast areas - within 5 nautical miles of shore.

Great Lakes nearshore marine forecasts are issued throughout the boating season, typically beginning around April 1 and ending around December 31, dependent on ice conditions on the entrances to each individual lake. During periods of climatological extremes leading to erratic ice coverage patterns (shifting of ice edge, late/early freeze, etc.), and based on customer needs, nearshore forecasts may be issued throughout the winter to support the National Weather Service mission of protecting life and property on the waters of the Great Lakes.

• LAKE SUPERIOR, BAYS AND RIVERS  
• Minnesota Shore Line
• Grand Portage to Grand Marais, MN (LSZ140/091140)
• Grand Marais to Taconite Harbor, MN (LSZ141/091141)
• Taconite Harbor to Silver Bay Harbor, MN (LSZ142/091142)
• Silver Bay Harbor to Two Harbors, MN (LSZ143/091143)
• Two Harbors to Duluth, MN (LSZ144/091144)
• Wisconsin Shore Line
• Duluth, MN to Port Wing, WI (LSZ145/091145)
• Port Wing to Sand Island, WI (LSZ146/091146)
• Sand Island to Bayfield, WI (LSZ147/091147)
• Chequamegon Bay-Bayfield to Oak Point, WI (LSZ121/091121)
• Oak Point to Saxon Harbor, WI (LSZ148/091148)
• Michigan Shore Line
• Saxon Harbor WI to Black River MI (LSZ240/091240)
• Black River to Ontonagon MI (LSZ241/091241)
• Ontonagon to Upper Entrance of Portage Canal MI (LSZ242/091242)
• Upper Entrance of Portage Canal to Eagle River MI (LSZ243/091243)
• Eagle River to Manitou Island MI (LSZ244/091244)
• Manitou Island to Point Isabelle MI (LSZ245/091245)
• Point Isabelle to Lower Entrance of Portage Canal MI (LSZ246/091246)
• Lower Entrance of Portage Canal to Huron Islands MI including Keweenaw and Huron Bays (LSZ247/091247)
• Huron Islands to Marquette MI (LSZ248/091248)
• Marquette to Munising MI (LSZ249/091249)
• Munising to Grand Marais MI (LSZ250/09150)
• Grand Marais to Whitefish Point MI (LSZ251/091251)
• Whitefish Bay (U.S. Portion) Whitefish Point to Point Iroquois MI (LSZ321/091321)
• St. Marys River Point Iroquois to E. Potagannissing Bay to Eastern Potagannissing Bay (LSZ322/091322)


• LAKE MICHIGAN AND BAYS 
• Michigan Shore Line
• Green Bay north of a line from Cedar River MI to Rock Island Passage(LMZ221/092221)
• Seul Choix Point to Point Detour MI (LMZ248/092248)
• 5 NM east of a line from Fairport MI to Rock Island Passage (LMZ250/092250)
• Seul Choix Point to 5 NM west of Mackinac Bridge (LMZ341/092341)
• Norwood MI to 5 NM west of Mackinac Bridge including Little Traverse Bay (LMZ342/092342)
• Grand Traverse Bay south of a line Grand Traverse Light to Norwood MI(LMZ323/092323)
• Sleeping Bear Point to Grand Traverse Light MI (LMZ344/092344)
• Point Betsie to Sleeping Bear Point MI (LMZ345/092345)
• Manistee to Point Betsie MI (LMZ346/092346)
• Pentwater to Manistee, MI (LMZ849/092849)
• Whitehall to Pentwater, MI (LMZ848/092848)
• Grand Haven to Whitehall, MI (LMZ847/092847)
• Holland to Grand Haven, MI (LMZ846/092846)
• South Haven to Holland, MI (LMZ845/092845)
• St. Joseph to South Haven, MI (LMZ844/092844)
• New Buffalo MI to St. Joseph, MI (LMZ043/092043)
• Michigan City, IN to New Buffalo, MI (LMZ046/092046)
• Wisconsin Shore Line
• Green Bay south of line from Cedar River MI to Rock Island Passage and north of a line from Oconto WI to Little Sturgeon Bay WI (LMZ521/092521)
• Green Bay south of a line from Oconto WI to Little Sturgeon Bay WI(LMZ522/092522)
• Rock Island Passage to Sturgeon Bay WI (LMZ541/092541)
• Sturgeon Bay to Two Rivers WI (LMZ542/092542)
• Two Rivers to Sheboygan WI (LMZ543/092543)
• Sheboygan to Port Washington, WI (LMZ643/092643)
• Port Washington to North Point Light, WI (LMZ644/092644)
• North Point Light to Wind Point, WI (LMZ645/092645)
• Wind Point to Winthrop Harbor, IL (LMZ646/092646)
• Illinois Shore Line
• Winthrop Harbor to Wilmette Harbor, IL (LMZ740/092740)
• Wilmette Harbor to Northerly Island, IL (LMZ741/092741)
• Northerly Island to Calumet Harbor, IL (LMZ742/092742)
• Indiana Shore Line
• Calumet Harbor to Gary, IN (LMZ743/092743)
• Gary to Burns Harbor, IN (LMZ744/092744)
• Burns Harbor to Michigan City, IN (LMZ745/092745)
• Michigan City, IN to New Buffalo, MI (LMZ046/092046)


• LAKE HURON, BAYS AND LAKES 
• Michigan Shore Line
• Straits of Mackinac within 5 NM of Mackinac Bridge including Mackinac Island (LHZ345/093345)
• St. Ignace to False Detour Channel (LHZ346/093346)
• 5 NM east of Mackinac Bridge to Presque Isle Light MI including Bois Blanc Island (LHZ347/093347)
• Presque Isle Light to Sturgeon Point MI including Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (LHZ348/093348)
• Sturgeon Point to Alabaster MI (LHZ349/093349)
• Port Austin to Harbor Beach, MI (LHZ441/093441)
• Harbor Beach to Port Sanilac, MI (LHZ442/093442)
• Port Sanilac to Port Huron, MI (LHZ443/093443)
• Outer Saginaw Bay SW of Alabaster to Point Austin to Inner Saginaw Bay, MI (LHZ421/093421)
• Inner Saginaw Bay...SW of Pt. Au Gres to Bay Port, MI (LHZ422/093422)


• LAKE ST. CLAIR 
• St. Clair River (LCZ422/094422)
• Lake St. Clair, MI (U.S. Portion) (LCZ460/094460)
• Detroit River (LCZ423/094423)


• LAKE ERIE AND BAYS 
• Michigan Shore Line
• Michigan Waters of Lake Erie from Detroit River to North Cape, MI (LEZ444/096444)
• Ohio Shore Line
• Maumee Bay to Reno Beach, OH (LEZ142/096142)
• Reno Beach to The Islands, OH (LEZ143/096143)
• The Islands to Vermilion, OH (LEZ144/096144)
• Vermilion to Avon Point, OH (LEZ145/096145)
• Avon Point to Willowick, OH (LEZ146/096146)
• Willowick to Geneva-on-the-Lake, OH (LEZ147/096147)
• Geneva-on-the-Lake to Conneaut, OH (LEZ148/096148)
• Pennsylvania Shore Line
• Conneaut, OH to Ripley, NY (LEZ149/096149)
• New York Shore Line
• Ripley to Dunkirk, NY (LEZ040/096040)
• Dunkirk to Buffalo, NY (LEZ041/096041)
• Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor (LEZ020/096020)
• Lower Niagara River (LOZ030/097030)


• LAKE ONTARIO AND RIVERS 
• New York Shore Line
• Niagara River to Hamlin Beach, NY (LOZ042/097042)
• Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay, NY (LOZ043/097043)
• Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay, NY (LOZ044/097044)
• Mexico Bay, NY to the St. Lawrence River (LOZ045/097045)
• St. Lawrence River above Ogdensburg, NY (SLZ022/098022)
• St. Lawrence River from Ogdensburg to St. Regis, NY (SLZ024/098024)

 


¹ Although SAME codes exist for MAYFOR's, they are not used operationally.

NOTICE - This page under continuous construction.  Please excuse our dust.  Several listed products may not be in existence.  Links not yet available for all products.  Linked data may not represent the latest forecast.  The Internet is not part of the National Weather Service's operational data stream and should never be relied upon as a means to obtain the latest forecast and warning data. Please read our disclaimer.

CAUTION - Remember to hit the "RELOAD" button on your webbrowser or you may be recalling data from memory rather than downloading the latest forecast.

Abbreviations have been used on this weppage. For the official description of NWS marine forecast areas see the NWS Directives for Marine and Coastal Weather Services. For details on changes to NWS products, visit the Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services Service Change Notifications, the Data Product Change Management Status Reports , and NWS Telecommunication Operations Center (TOC) Data Management Change Notices webpages.

In the event of major system outages, please contact our Systems Operations Center at 301-713-0902. Please be specific as possible about the problem you are experiencing and the exact URL which is giving you difficulties, e.g. http://weather.nws.noaa.gov/....., (or page you are linking from if that URL is too long).