Lake Superior, 2020

Marine High Wind in Lake Superior, March 13, 2020

March 13, 2020 · NWS MQT · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A deepening low pressure system tracking through the Upper Great Lakes into Ontario generated storm force winds across Lake Superior on the 13th.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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.

A deepening low pressure system tracking through the Upper Great Lakes into Ontario generated storm force winds across Lake Superior on the 13th.

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 Mar 12, 6:54 PM EST, 7 hours 36 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 12, 6:54 PM EST, 7 hours 36 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 12, 3:26 PM EST, 11 hours 4 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

4 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
March 13, 2:30 AM EST to 6:30 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
59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by
C-MAN Station
Coordinates
47.180, -87.230

The Stannard Rock Light observing station measured storm force west wind gusts through much of the day on the 13th with a peak gust of 59 knots.

Marine High Wind, Munising to Grand Marais Mi

When
March 13, 3:30 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Munising to Grand Marais Mi forecast zone, Grand Marais Light
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
46.680, -85.970

The Grand Marais GLOS station measured storm force west wind gusts throughout much of the day on the 13th with a peak gust of 55 knots.

Marine High Wind, Grand Marais to Whitefish Point Mi

When
March 13, 3:30 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Grand Marais to Whitefish Point Mi forecast zone, Grand Marais Light
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
46.680, -85.970

The Grand Marais GLOS station measured storm force west wind gusts throughout much of the day on the 13th with a peak gust of 55 knots.

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

When
March 13, 7:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where
Upper Entrance of Portage Canal to Manitou Island Mi 5nm Offshore to Us/Canadian Border forecast zone, Passage Island Light
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
C-MAN Station
Coordinates
48.220, -88.370

The Passage Island Light C-MAN station measured storm force northwest wind gusts on the morning of the 13th with a peak gust of 52 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

More

Every storm in Lake Superior in 2020Every state in 2020This 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: 879612, 879613, 879614, 879615.