Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Empire, MI

DISCUSSION
Issued at 238 AM EST Sun Nov 8 2026

A small shortwave ridge is briefly overhead early this morning.
This ridge gets replaced by a sharp upper trof, now in far western Ontario. This trof is taking on a more neutral to slight negative tilt, as an individual wave rounds its base. An associated surface low is well north of Lk Superior, moving ese-ward. It passes well to our north today, dragging an cold/occluded front across northern MI this morning and early afternoon.

Presently quiet in our neighborhood, though banded cirrus is increasing just to our west. Some fog has formed in vicinity of the Soo (KANJ/CYAM have seen vsbys down to 1/4SM at times), but that's it. A tightening pressure gradient and associated increasing low-level winds should erode the fog this morning.
Thicker/ layered cloud is just north of Lk Superior and MN.
Better moisture with this system looks to be somewhat behind the front, and current sat imagery is in agreement.

The other process of note is increasing overlake instability behind the boundary. 850mb temps drop to slightly below 0C by late afternoon. Expect lake enhanced showers in eastern upper MI to get going toward midday, and in n central and ne lower MI in the afternoon. 1000-850mb winds will be slowly/steadily veering, from wnw at midday to nnw by midnight. Sct to numerous showers expected, except for the far sw. The BL will be warm enough to keep precip liquid into tonight. Pops diminish toward/after midnight as moisture band exits east. Brisk to windy, especially this afternoon/evening, with some 30-35mph gusts in exposed locales.

A somewhat more prominent shortwave ridge slides in from the wnw on Monday. This contributes to quieter wx early in the work week. A clipper-type digging shortwave passes a little to our north Monday night/Tue, but better forcing/moisture is still staying mostly to our north. Some small pops for now, mainly in parts of Chippewa Co. Midweek is likely to feature cyclogenesis in the central/eastern CONUS. Though some models may overstate the degree to which this system interact/coalesces/phases, some sort of strengthening system is likely to cross the OH Valley or Great Lakes area. Plenty of solutions have a storm track too far south for significant QPF here, which is limiting pops for now. Eventually, sharply colder air gets dragged southward behind this system. However, for more the northerly fetch limits the impacted areas of expected lake effect precip.

Max temps somewhat milder today into Tue, with Tuesday still looking the warmest. Wednesday is a transition day, with much cooler air late week (upper 30s to mid 40s).

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY/
Issued at 1042 PM EST Sat Nov 7 2026

VFR conditions early this morning with just some increasing high clouds late. West/southwest surface winds ramp up quickly near or a bit after sunrise, with winds remaining quite gusty as they steadily veer to west and northwest into the afternoon and evening. Low level moisture will increase as well, bringing lower end VFR to MVFR producing cigs to the area today into this evening. A few light and largely non- impactful showers are likely to fall out of this overcast, especially at KCIU this afternoon.

APX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
MI...None.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 5 AM EST Monday for LMZ323-341-342- 344>346.
Gale Warning from 11 AM this morning to 5 AM EST Monday for LSZ321.