Lake Superior, 2020

Marine High Wind in Lake Superior, September 3, 2020

September 3, 2020 · NWS MQT · 7 events in 6 counties and zones

A powerful storm originating in the lee of the Canadian Rockies tracked across the Upper Great Lakes bringing storm force winds to much of Lake Superior on the 3rd.

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
7

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 powerful storm originating in the lee of the Canadian Rockies tracked across the Upper Great Lakes bringing storm force winds to much of Lake Superior on the 3rd.

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 Sep 3, 6:40 AM EST, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 3, 6:40 AM EST, 1 hour 20 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 3, 3:12 AM EST, 4 hours 48 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

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

Marine High Wind, Saxon Harbor Wi to Upper Entrance of Portage Canal Mi 5nm Offshore to Us/Canadian Border Inc Isle Royal Np

When
September 3, 8:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where
Saxon Harbor Wi to Upper Entrance of Portage Canal Mi 5nm Offshore to Us/Canadian Border Inc Isle Royal Np forecast zone, Rock of Ages Light
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
C-MAN Station
Coordinates
47.770, -89.220

The Rock of Ages Light measured a storm force west wind gust to 60 mph during the period.

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

When
September 3, 9:00 AM EST to 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
62 kt (71 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 west wind gust of 71 mph at 10:03 am EST.

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

When
September 3, 9:00 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
62 kt (71 mph) measured gust
Reported by
C-MAN Station
Coordinates
48.220, -88.370

The Passage Island Light station measured storm force winds through the period with a peak west wind gust of 71 mph at 10:00 am EST.

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

When
September 3, 10:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where
Manitou Island to Marquette Mi Beyond 5nm From Shore forecast zone, 14.69 mi E of Huron Island Light
Measured
61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Mariner
Coordinates
46.940, -87.690

A ship captain northwest of Marquette reported west wind gusts between 60 and 70 mph during the period.

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

When
September 3, 10:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where
Manitou Island to Marquette Mi Beyond 5nm From Shore forecast zone, 11.76 mi N of Marquette
Measured
53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
46.720, -87.410

Storm force west winds were reported during the period at Granite Island Light with a peak gust of 61 mph at 10:40 am EST.

Marine High Wind, Munising to Grand Marais Mi

When
September 3, 1:00 PM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Munising to Grand Marais Mi forecast zone, 0.11 mi WSW of Grand Marais Light
Measured
51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
46.679, -85.972

The Grand Marais GLOS station measured a peak gust of 59 mph.

Marine High Wind, Grand Marais to Whitefish Point Mi

When
September 3, 1:00 PM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Grand Marais to Whitefish Point Mi forecast zone, 0.11 mi WSW of Grand Marais Light
Measured
51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
46.679, -85.972

The Grand Marais GLOS station measured a peak gust of 59 mph.

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: 921802, 921805, 921806, 921803, 921807, 921808, 921809.