Update — November 8, 2026, 4:02 a.m. Central / 5:02 a.m. Eastern:

The National Weather Service has expanded gale-warning coverage in northern Lake Huron for Sunday afternoon through early Monday.

Gaylord’s 4:04 a.m. Eastern Standard Time Sunday bulletin adds the waters from five nautical miles east of the Mackinac Bridge to Presque Isle Light, including Bois Blanc Island, and from Presque Isle Light to Sturgeon Point, including Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

The added warning runs from 4 p.m. EST Sunday, November 8, to 5 a.m. Monday, November 9. It forecasts northwest gusts up to 35 knots and highest waves around nine feet.

A separate Detroit/Pontiac warning continues for the offshore waters beyond five nautical miles toward the U.S.–Canadian border. Its latest bulletin runs from 4 p.m. Sunday to 4 a.m. Monday, forecasting sustained northwest winds up to 30 knots and gusts to 36 knots. Significant waves could reach 11 feet, with a potential maximum of 16 feet.

The offshore bulletin places the strongest winds around 8 p.m. Sunday and the largest waves around 1 a.m. Monday. The different wave figures and ending times apply to different covered waters.

These warnings supersede the earlier watch and its forecast times preserved below. They describe expected hazardous conditions, not confirmed vessel damage.

Earlier Reporting:

The National Weather Service issued a gale watch Friday for offshore waters in northern Lake Huron, forecasting strong northwest winds and hazardous waves from Sunday afternoon through Monday morning.

The Detroit/Pontiac, Michigan, office issued the November 6 notice at 3:36 p.m. Eastern. The watch period begins at 1 p.m. Eastern Sunday, November 8, and runs through 7 a.m. Monday, November 9.

The covered waters extend from five nautical miles east of the Mackinac Bridge to Presque Isle Light, beyond five nautical miles offshore, and from Presque Isle Light to Sturgeon Point, Michigan, beyond five nautical miles offshore toward the U.S.–Canadian border.

Forecasters expect sustained northwest winds up to 30 knots, with gusts reaching 38 knots. The strongest winds are expected around 7 p.m. Eastern Sunday, followed by the largest waves around 8 p.m.

The bulletin forecasts significant waves up to 11 feet and a potential maximum wave height of 16 feet. Those describe different wave measurements; the notice does not forecast that every wave will be 16 feet high.

The weather service said strong winds and hazardous waves could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility. Its instructions advise mariners to consider changing plans to avoid the possible hazardous conditions and to secure vessels or seek safe harbor as appropriate.

Friday’s notice is a watch for conditions expected later in the weekend, rather than a report that gale conditions were already occurring on Lake Huron.

Sources: National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac — November 6 Lake Huron Gale Watch: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.1488a20bdece64ad3d1f9ad272e22e004d49279d.006.1 NWS Gaylord — November 8, 4:04 a.m. EST, northern Lake Huron gale-warning expansion: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.5aa720bb74b4b0226ba1538c2d1c0055d89a4558.001.1 NWS Detroit/Pontiac — November 8, 3:58 a.m. EST, offshore Lake Huron gale warning: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.e00dfa53aad730cc9b9990e90629307fda8adf27.001.1