Is Lake Michigan too cold to swim in?

The water can be pretty cold, especially during the early days of summer, before it has a chance to warm after a typically cold Chicago winter, but in the middle of summer, around July and August, it warms quite a bit. The average temperature of the water in summer is around 70' and in winter, about 40'.



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The National Centers for Environmental Information and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that 70 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit is the range where most folks feel 'comfortable' swimming.

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Those who brave the frigid feat and swim in the winter are nicknamed “ice monsters.” Lake Michigan continuously cools throughout winter, and with March averaging an annual low of 32.9 degrees, it's the chilliest month for open-water swimming. Yet a growing number of people are taking the plunge.

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Safe for Swimming? The answer is, it depends. Under the right conditions, Lake Michigan is safe for swimming. But this lake can also present dangerous, even deadly, conditions for swimmers.

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A north-northeast wind has pushed the warmer surface water along the Michigan shore back toward the middle of Lake Michigan and brought up colder water from well beneath the surface. This process is called upwelling.

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According to the National Center for Cold Water Safety, water temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit should be treated with caution. Water temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit makes it difficult to control your breathing, and anything lower than 40 degrees is painfully cold.

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The answer is no. Being immersed in, rather than atop, cold water feels different. As fall turns into winter and the thermometer drops, the increasingly cold water starts to feel good, even warm. Wetsuits would only get in the way of this descent into conditions that have become delightful.

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Lake Michigan water temperatures Lake Michigan sees its warmest water temperatures typically from late-June through mid-September. It's not uncommon to have surface water temperatures in the 70s and sometimes even low 80s along the West Michigan lakeshore in that same time frame.

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Erie is the most southerly, shallow, and biologically diverse of all of the Great Lakes. Its shallow depth makes it the warmest Great Lake and a favourite destination for summer recreationists and migrating birds.

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Lake Michigan in particular is the roughest of the Great Lakes, and poses a major risk to those thinking of taking a dip.

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According to Leinbach, Michigan's shores simply have science on their side. The winds generally go from west to east in this country, and that means that the warm water in the summer gets pushed to the Michigan side of the lake, he explained. So the water is warmer for swimming and playing and things like that.

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Should you shower after swimming in Lake Michigan? Take a shower: Bathe yourself after swimming in a lake in order to maintain hygiene and stay clean. If bacteria has not entered your body, it may be actively resting on your skin, creating a rash or finding an open cut to infect.

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If you're ready to play in Lake Michigan, know that water temperatures can vary quite a bit along a stretch of coastline. In West Michigan, the beach near Duck Lake State Park in Muskegon County is warmest spot. The water temperature there is a balmy 70 degrees.

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Lake Surface Temperature Surface temperatures of Lake Michigan follow a monthly pattern with the warmest temperatures occurring in late summer and early fall and the coolest temperatures occurring in late winter and early spring (Figure 17).

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Though not as warm as the oceans, temperatures of Lake Michigan do rise to the high 60s in July and August to make swimming enjoyable, and definitely refreshing! Rarely do temperatures make it to the 70s, unless air temperatures stay up in the 90's for many continuous days.

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As of Aug. 15, 2023, 24 people have died in Lake Michigan, which is frequently the lake where the most drownings occur. Across the Great Lakes 56 drownings have occurred.

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Named the “Most Beautiful Place in the United States,” Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a must-on any Lake Michigan travel bucket list. You'll find 26 miles of pristine, sandy beach; towering dunes; wooded trails through lofty hardwood forests and an aqua-blue lake.

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Lake Superior is the world's largest freshwater lake by area (31,700 mi2 /82,100 km2). It is also the coldest and deepest of the Great Lakes, with a maximum depth of 406 meters (1,332 feet). By most measures, it is the healthiest of all the Great Lakes.

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