Lake Michigan water level · IL
Wind forecast, gusts, and gage height for small-craft sailing at Lake Michigan (Lake Michigan At Chicago Lock At Chicago).
Gage height recorded at USGS gauge 04087440, refreshed every 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on the sensor.
0.17ft
recorded Nov 4, 7:38 AM
+0.16ft
rising
−0.02ft
falling
0.04–0.38ft
lowest to highest
Recent daily readings
| Date | Level (ft) | Δ day |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 4● | 0.17 | ↑ 0.13 |
| Nov 3 | 0.04 | ↓ 0.12 |
| Nov 2 | 0.16 | ↓ 0.20 |
| Nov 1 | 0.36 | ↑ 0.09 |
| Oct 31 | 0.27 | ↑ 0.03 |
| Oct 30 | 0.24 | ↑ 0.09 |
| Oct 29 | 0.15 | ↓ 0.04 |
| Oct 28 | 0.19 | ↓ 0.19 |
| Oct 27 | 0.38 | ↑ 0.02 |
| Oct 26 | 0.36 | ↑ 0.19 |
| Oct 25 | 0.17 | ↓ 0.04 |
| Oct 24 | 0.21 | ↓ 0.13 |
| Oct 23 | 0.34 | ↑ 0.05 |
| Oct 22 | 0.29 | — |
Readings fetched Nov 4, 7:58 AM; the chart above loads the latest data live from USGS.
Lake Michigan water level questions
- What is the water level at Lake Michigan today?
- 0.17 ft, recorded Nov 4, 7:38 AM at USGS gauge 04087440. The chart above refreshes live from the same gauge.
- Is Lake Michigan rising or falling?
- steady — 0.02 ft over the last 7 days.
- How does this compare to normal for Lake Michigan?
- Over the last 14 days the gauge has ranged from 0.04 ft to 0.38 ft; today's reading sits in the middle of that range.
- Where does the water level data for Lake Michigan come from?
- USGS gauge 04087440 (Lake Michigan At Chicago Lock At Chicago), which reports every 15 minutes to 1 hour. Readings are provisional until reviewed by the USGS.
- What is the water temperature at Lake Michigan?
- This gauge has no live water-temperature sensor — the fishing tab shows a seasonal estimate based on air temperature.
Gage height history
Gage height · USGS gauge 04087440
Reading the chart. This gauge reports gage height — the depth of water above the sensor reference point, not absolute elevation. Trends matter more than the absolute number: a falling trend means shrinking launch depth.
Water levels respond to dam operations, irrigation drawdown, snowmelt, and recent rainfall. For launch decisions, combine the trend here with the wind forecast — low water plus strong wind makes steep, tired ramps.
About this lake
- Location
- 41.8893°, -87.6079°
- Gauge datum
- 579 ft
- USGS gauge
- 04087440
- Water temp sensor
- Yes
Water level data comes from the USGS gauge above; wind is modeled for the lake’s coordinates by Open-Meteo. Always confirm conditions locally before launching — shorelines, ramps, and trees can all change what you feel on the water. Midwest lakes are dominated by pre-frontal south winds that build through the day, then swing northwest sharply behind a cold front — the shift can arrive in minutes and double the gusts, especially on east–west basins.
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