How to Read the Keweenaw: Using the Live Conditions Dashboard

At the top of this site, you'll see a live conditions panel. It updates every 10 minutes and pulls from two sources: Open-Meteo for shore air conditions near Eagle Harbor, and NOAA buoy 45023 stationed off the northwest Keweenaw shore for Lake Superior water temp and wave data.

What the numbers mean

Air Temp & Conditions — This is the actual temperature at the shore, not an inland reading from a city weather station. Keweenaw shore temps can run 10–20°F cooler than Houghton or Calumet in summer, and the lake effect keeps them warmer in fall and early winter.

Wind — Speed and direction matter a lot here. A SW wind builds waves from open water. A NW wind in fall turns the lake into something that looks like the North Atlantic. Anything over 18 mph changes the plan for the day.

Water Temp — Lake Superior is cold year-round, but the range matters. Below 45°F is no-plunge territory for most people. 50–60°F is a serious cold plunge. Above 65°F is rare and worth celebrating.

Wave Height — Buoy data shows significant wave height (average of the top third of waves). Real waves on the shore can run 1.5–2x the buoy reading. A 3 ft buoy reading is a rough day on the shore.

The "today's read"

Below the numbers, you'll see a one-line read on the day — a nudge toward the right activity based on what the lake is actually doing. Calm and warm: fish the river. Lake is up: fire the sauna. That's the funnel. The conditions tell you what the Keweenaw wants to give you today.

The buoy (45023) comes out of the water each winter, roughly December through April. During that window, water temp and wave height will show a dash. Air temp, wind, and conditions stay live year-round from the Open-Meteo feed.