This is NOT a complete listing of NWS marine forecast products for this area. See the NWS Marine Weather Serviceshomepage 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 Marine Text Forecasts and ProductsListing or thelow-bandwidth-mobile friendly text products page which also serve as alternate sources of data.
These forecasts are also available via e-mail
All Lakes Forecasts
- Water Levels weekly
Open Lake Zone Forecasts
Explanation of the MAFOR code
Lake Superior
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- 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
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- 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
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- 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
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- Lake St. Clair (U.S. portion) (LCZ460/0944601)
Lake Erie
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- 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
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- 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
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
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
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- Duluth, MN to Port Wing, WI (LSZ145/091145)
- Port Wing to Sand Island, WI (LSZ146/091146)
- Sand Island to Bayfield, WI (LSZ147/091147)
- Outer Apostle Islands Beyond 5 nm From Mainland (LSZ150/091150)
- Chequamegon Bay-Bayfield to Oak Point, WI (LSZ121/091121)
- Oak Point to Saxon Harbor, WI (LSZ148/091148)
Michigan Shore Line
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- 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
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
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
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- 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
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- 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
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- 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
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- 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
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- St. Clair River (LCZ422/094422)
- Lake St. Clair, MI (U.S. Portion) (LCZ460/094460)
- Detroit River (LCZ423/094423)
Lake Erie and Bays
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
Michigan Shore Line
Ohio Shore Line
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- 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
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- Conneaut, OH to Ripley, NY (LEZ149/096149)
New York Shore Line
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
- 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
(Zone Name (Zone number/SAME code)
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 offshore forecast zones and forecast synopses, they are not used operationally.
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