Opening Day Weather

Questions regarding Weather, Bugs, Northern Lights and other "natural" phenomena.

Moderator: drobarge

User avatar
Ingo
Forum Moderator
Posts: 1944
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2007 1:11 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 14
Location: Hillsborough, NC
Has thanked: 257 times
Been thanked: 158 times

Opening Day Weather

Post by Ingo »

The island officially opens on Monday. I doubt they'll be going out:

A Gale Warning remains in effect until 2 AM EDT Monday.

* WIND AND WAVES DURING THE GALE WARNING...Expect sustained
winds of up to 36 knots from the northeast, with gusts up to
44 knots. The largest expected significant waves will be 18
feet with a maximum wave height of up to 26 feet possible.

* TIMING...The maximum winds are expected around 6 AM EDT
Saturday with the largest waves expected around 6 PM EDT
Sunday.
22: BI-PC-BI-RH, 21: RH-ML-DF-MB-DF, 18: MC-PC-BI-DB-RH-DF, 17: WI-IM-SB-FL-WC, 16: RH-CI-TI-RH, 14: BI-ML-CI-CH-MB, 13: RH-PI, 12: MC-CB-HL-TH, 11: WC-HC-WC, 09: MC-BI-DN-RH, 05: MI-CI-MB-DF-RH-TM-RH, 02: MC-LR-WL-CH, 01: BI-DB-RH, 79: worked RH
Stephen
NewbieCake
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2015 2:33 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 2
Location: Where the Fox River meets the WI river

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by Stephen »

When I went a few years ago, the waves were about 10' and I puked all the way over, but then so did a lot of others. Your right though, doubt anyone will be going on Monday, but can't wait to hear what the first group that does go encounters. The weather really sucks here in WI between ice, snow and high winds.
User avatar
thesneakymonkey
May actually live on IR
Posts: 357
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 5:43 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 3
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 36 times
Contact:

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by thesneakymonkey »

Yea the weather here in Michigan (LP) is pretty terrible right now. I bet superior is pretty wild right now. I forsee delays for opening day! Cant wait to hear from the first group of hikers!!
User avatar
Nick
Bushwacker
Posts: 238
Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:57 am
Isle Royale Visits: 23
Location: DeTour Village, mi
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by Nick »

I'm sitting here at my home in the Eastern U.P. I'm looking across two miles of solid ice, except for the shipping lanes, to Canada. The ice is probably 30" thick. I'm all packed for the Voyaguer II on May 5th. Food is all dehydrated and organized in tapered dry bags. I've test packed the kayak four times. Now, I wait. Ice out three weeks from today??? If not, looks like I'll be eating my ISRO food at home for two weeks. Fingers crossed.
User avatar
MikeT
IR Pro
Posts: 362
Joined: Fri Oct 29, 2010 1:32 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 23
Location: Port Sanilac, Michigan
Been thanked: 2 times
Contact:

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by MikeT »

We are also looking at the weather for the May 5th boat. It looks like a repeat of our Spring, 2013 trip, watching daily satellite imagery to see if the ice clears out.
Imagery is available at: https://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/modis ... p?region=s
This is the last clear one shown:
MODIS 04-11-2018 1913GMT Capture.JPG
Washington Harbor is frozen solid. McCargoe and shore north of it is ice. It does not look good for May 5th right now.
Mike T.
"Isle Royale Info - A Comprehensive Guide to Isle Royale National Park" available at: http://www.isleroyale.info
"Isle Royale Itinerary Generator" an intuitive program to create and manage itineraries. Description at: http://www.isleroyale.info/ig_description.html
"Half the fun is in the planning"
Tortuga
Trailblazer
Posts: 147
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2016 12:11 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 3
Location: Denver

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by Tortuga »

The winter that doesn’t end has me thinking about moving my trip back a couple weeks. I was looking forward to a less busy trip but I really don’t want to go full-out winter getup. I’m sure I’ll feel differently when the time comes but pictures like this are a little bummer :lol:
User avatar
Ingo
Forum Moderator
Posts: 1944
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2007 1:11 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 14
Location: Hillsborough, NC
Has thanked: 257 times
Been thanked: 158 times

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by Ingo »

Nick/Mike, hoping the storm breaks it up for you!
22: BI-PC-BI-RH, 21: RH-ML-DF-MB-DF, 18: MC-PC-BI-DB-RH-DF, 17: WI-IM-SB-FL-WC, 16: RH-CI-TI-RH, 14: BI-ML-CI-CH-MB, 13: RH-PI, 12: MC-CB-HL-TH, 11: WC-HC-WC, 09: MC-BI-DN-RH, 05: MI-CI-MB-DF-RH-TM-RH, 02: MC-LR-WL-CH, 01: BI-DB-RH, 79: worked RH
johnhens
Forum Moderator
Posts: 1993
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 4:10 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 34
Location: Big Rock, IL
Has thanked: 56 times
Been thanked: 112 times

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by johnhens »

4/15 Forecast Would love to be above Blake Point or along the Palisades.

LSZ263-152130-
Lake Superior from Saxon Harbor WI to Upper Entrance to Portage
Canal MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian border including Isle
Royale National Park-
929 AM EDT Sun Apr 15 2018

GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING


REST OF TODAY
East gales to 45 knots backing northeast in the
afternoon. Freezing spray. Snow. Waves 12 to 17 feet occasionally
to 21 feet building to 15 to 20 feet occasionally to 25 feet.

TONIGHT
Northeast gales to 45 knots. Snow. Freezing spray
after midnight. Waves subsiding to 10 to 14 feet occasionally to
18 feet.
User avatar
fonixmunkee
Forum Moderator
Posts: 953
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:58 am
Isle Royale Visits: 18
Location: Soupe Towne, WI
Has thanked: 46 times
Been thanked: 60 times

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by fonixmunkee »

The waves on the lake are insane right now: https://www.theinnonlakesuperior.com/lake-cam/
User avatar
thesneakymonkey
May actually live on IR
Posts: 357
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 5:43 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 3
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 36 times
Contact:

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by thesneakymonkey »

fonixmunkee wrote: Sun Apr 15, 2018 12:32 pm The waves on the lake are insane right now: https://www.theinnonlakesuperior.com/lake-cam/
That is a neato live cam fonixmunkee! Thank you for sharing.
Tortuga
Trailblazer
Posts: 147
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2016 12:11 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 3
Location: Denver

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by Tortuga »

I'll give it another week before pulling the trigger, but with the Voyageur postponing the first trip from 5/5 to 5/12, it looks like I'm moving my trip back 2-3 weeks. Temps in the UP not expected to go much past 40 for the rest of April. Can only imagine the Isle will still have knee-deep snow for a while yet.
johnhens
Forum Moderator
Posts: 1993
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 4:10 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 34
Location: Big Rock, IL
Has thanked: 56 times
Been thanked: 112 times

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by johnhens »

Tortuga wrote: Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:49 pm I'll give it another week before pulling the trigger, but with the Voyageur postponing the first trip from 5/5 to 5/12, it looks like I'm moving my trip back 2-3 weeks. Temps in the UP not expected to go much past 40 for the rest of April. Can only imagine the Isle will still have knee-deep snow for a while yet.
Ice Fishing!!!
User avatar
Midwest Ed
IR Expert
Posts: 1355
Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2010 1:25 am
Isle Royale Visits: 8
Location: Quad Cities, IL
Has thanked: 42 times
Been thanked: 82 times

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by Midwest Ed »

Winter camping on The Island sounds exciting. . . . if I were 30 years younger. We used to winter camp in the Keweenaw when I was 20 something. It was interesting for the very few times I did it except for the fact it seemed like almost all the effort and energy was spent trying to stay alive. I think it would actually be a bit easier with temperatures consistently below freezing rather than the weather now as layers of clothing would not get as wet.

FYI, the Mott Island web camera system has not had enough sunlight to be able to report a new picture for a week now.

Take plenty of fuel.
8 trips, 1975 x 2, 1976 x 2, 1978, 1985, 2000, 2013
User avatar
Nick
Bushwacker
Posts: 238
Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:57 am
Isle Royale Visits: 23
Location: DeTour Village, mi
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by Nick »

I'm still looking at solid ice across to Canada here at Paddler's Point, my home in the Eastern UP. Although warmer weather is predicted for the next few days, ice is very thick and I doubt if it will break up in the next month. Makes me wonder when the boat will be able to get into McCargo and if I'll be ice fishing on Siskiwit Lake.
torpified
IR Expert
Posts: 594
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2016 4:06 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 6
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Has thanked: 238 times
Been thanked: 120 times
Contact:

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by torpified »

the Mott Island web cam has its groove back!
Post Reply