MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Strong southwest winds will whip across Lake Michigan this Sunday afternoon through early Monday, creating dangerous conditions for mariners from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, to Pentwater, Michigan. The National Weather Service in Milwaukee/Sullivan has issued a Gale Warning for much of the open waters, with gusts up to 45 knots and waves reaching 13 feet.
According to forecasters, the gale will develop by late afternoon as a powerful fall storm crosses the Great Lakes. The most hazardous conditions are expected tonight, especially across the northern and central open waters of Lake Michigan. Winds will gradually shift west and diminish toward daybreak Monday.
Mariners are urged to remain in port or seek safe harbor, as the combination of strong winds and high waves could capsize smaller vessels and reduce visibility. Ferry operations and shoreline piers may also be affected, particularly between Sturgeon Bay and Muskegon, where wave action will be strongest.
Winds will ease below gale force Monday morning, though choppy seas will linger through the afternoon. Cooler, calmer weather is expected to settle in by midweek as high pressure builds over the western Great Lakes.
