Marine High Wind in Lake Superior, December 13 to 15, 2016

Name: Marine High Wind in Lake Superior, December 13 to 15, 2016
Start: 2016-12-13T15:00
End: 2016-12-15T11:00
Location: Lake Superior

December 13 to 15, 2016 · NWS MQT · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

Surges of Arctic air across Lake Superior produced periods of storm force west to northwest wind gusts from the 13th into the 15th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MQT wrote it up.

Surges of Arctic air across Lake Superior produced periods of storm force west to northwest wind gusts from the 13th into the 15th.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Marquette, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 13, 12:43 PM EST, 2 hours 17 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 13, 12:43 PM EST, 2 hours 17 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 13, 5:04 AM EST, 9 hours 56 minutes before

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In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 13, 10:52 AM EST, 4 hours 8 minutes before

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Local storm report, Dec 13, 11:14 AM EST, 3 hours 46 minutes before

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Local storm report, Dec 13, 2:09 PM EST, 51 minutes before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 marine high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Marine High Wind, Manitou Island to Marquette Mi and W of Grand Marais Mi to Us/Canadian Border Beyond 5nm of Shore

When: December 13, 3:00 PM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Manitou Island to Marquette Mi and W of Grand Marais Mi to Us/Canadian Border Beyond 5nm of Shore forecast zone, Stannard Rock Light
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: C-MAN Station
Coordinates: 47.180, -87.230

The Stannard Rock Light station measured storm force winds through the period with a peak wind gust to 51 knots.

Marine High Wind, Upper Entrance of Portage Canal to Manitou Island Mi 5nm Offshore to Us/Canadian Border

When: December 13, 9:00 PM EST to 9:15 PM EST
Where: Upper Entrance of Portage Canal to Manitou Island Mi 5nm Offshore to Us/Canadian Border forecast zone, Passage Island Light
Measured: 49 kt (56 mph) measured gust
Reported by: C-MAN Station
Coordinates: 48.220, -88.370

The Passage Island Light station measured a storm force wind gust of 49 knots.

Marine High Wind, Manitou Island to Marquette Mi and W of Grand Marais Mi to Us/Canadian Border Beyond 5nm of Shore

When: December 14, 4:00 AM EST to December 15, 11:00 AM EST
Where: Manitou Island to Marquette Mi and W of Grand Marais Mi to Us/Canadian Border Beyond 5nm of Shore forecast zone, Stannard Rock Light
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: C-MAN Station
Coordinates: 47.180, -87.230

The Stannard Rock Light recorded storm force winds through the period with a peak gust of 58 knots.

Marine High Wind, Upper Entrance of Portage Canal to Manitou Island Mi 5nm Offshore to Us/Canadian Border

When: December 14, 4:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Upper Entrance of Portage Canal to Manitou Island Mi 5nm Offshore to Us/Canadian Border forecast zone, Passage Island Light
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: C-MAN Station
Coordinates: 48.220, -88.370

The Passage Island Light station measured storm force wind through the period with a peak gust of 54 knots.

Marine High Wind, Manitou Island to Marquette Mi Beyond 5nm From Shore

When: December 14, 7:00 PM EST to 7:15 PM EST
Where: Manitou Island to Marquette Mi Beyond 5nm From Shore forecast zone, 11.83 mi N of Marquette
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.721, -87.412

The observing station at Granite Island Light measured a storm force wind gust to 50 knots.

What these are

Marine High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 48 knots or more over water.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Lake Superior in 2016 Every state in 2016 This day in weather history

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 668352, 668356, 668353, 668357, 668355.