Opening Day Weather

[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.

[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.

[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!!

[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.

[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:

Washington Harbor is frozen solid. McCargoe and shore north of it is ice. It does not look good for May 5th right now.

[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

[Ingo]

Nick/Mike, hoping the storm breaks it up for you!

[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.

[fonixmunkee]

The waves on the lake are insane right now: https://www.theinnonlakesuperior.com/lake-cam/

[thesneakymonkey]

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]

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]

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!!!

[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.

[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]

the Mott Island web cam has its groove back!