What is the largest wave recorded on the Great Lakes?

In most cases, lakes are confined to smaller fetches which limit wave size, but the Great Lakes are large enough to produce frequent swells up to several metres. However, the highest ever recorded waves were 8.7 metres, outside of Marquette, Michigan, on Lake Superior.



The largest wave ever recorded on the Great Lakes was a colossal 28.8-foot (8.8-meter) significant wave height during a massive storm on Lake Superior.

Here are the key details:

  • When: October 24, 2017
  • Where: Southern Lake Superior, measured by a NOAA buoy (#45136) located about 50 miles north of Marquette, Michigan.
  • Measurement: The “significant wave height” was 28.8 feet. This is a scientific average of the largest third of waves measured, meaning many individual waves were much larger.
  • The Record Individual Wave: During that same storm, the same buoy recorded an individual maximum wave height of 29.2 feet (8.9 meters). This is the highest single wave ever verified by instrument on the Great Lakes.

Important Context and Distinction

  • “Significant” vs. “Maximum”: The 28.8-foot record is for significant wave height, which is the standard metric for comparing storms. The 29.2-foot wave is the record for a single wave. Both are from the same event and are considered the overall record.
  • Historical Claims vs. Instrument Data: There are historical accounts, particularly from the SS Edmund Fitzgerald storm in November 1975, of waves estimated by ship captains at over 35 feet. However, the 2017 measurement is the highest verified by a scientific instrument (a buoy), making it the official modern record.
  • Potential for Larger Waves: Oceanographers believe the Great Lakes, especially Lake Superior, are capable of producing waves over

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