Marquette, MI – The “Gales of November” lived up to their name this week as powerful winds swept across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Lake Superior, producing gusts as high as 59 mph, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) Marquette.
The highest recorded gust came from Stannard Rock Lighthouse, which measured a 59 mph peak wind within the past 48 hours. Other strong gusts included 56 mph at Minneapolis Shoal and Rock of Ages Lighthouse, and 52 mph at both Copper Harbor and Grand Marais.
Winds between 40 and 55 mph were widespread across the region, affecting coastal communities and inland areas alike. Buoys stationed on Lake Superior also registered gusts up to 47 mph as the powerful low-pressure system passed through.
Forecasters noted that the strong westerly winds are typical for early November as colder air masses interact with warmer lake waters, a combination that frequently triggers the “Gales of November” known to mariners and residents along the Great Lakes.
Winds are expected to gradually ease through midweek, but choppy waters and residual gusts may persist along the Lake Superior shoreline.
