Geography of Lake Michigan
Geography of Lake Michigan: location, coordinates, elevation, terrain and the places around it.
Geography of Lake Michigan
Milwaukee is 80 mi to the south-west, Wisconsin is 136 mi to the south-west, O'Hare International Airport is 147 mi to the south and Wicker Park is 149 mi to the south.
Map of Lake Michigan
Interactive map with nearby places. Switch between street, terrain and satellite views.
Coordinates: 44°0′0″N 87°0′0″W (44, -87)
Quick facts about Lake Michigan
| Type | Lake |
|---|---|
| State | Illinois |
| Country | United States |
| Continent | North America |
| Coordinates | 44°0′0″N 87°0′0″W (44, -87) |
| Maximum depth | 922 ft |
| Known for | the only Great Lake entirely in the US |
| Local time | 8:49 PM (UTC-04:00) |
| Best months | July, August and September |
| Climate | Subarctic |
Summary
Lake Michigan is a lake in Illinois. Lake Michigan is a lake known as the only Great Lake entirely in the US.
Right now it is 66°F (19°C) in Lake Michigan with clear. It feels like 65°F. Today runs from 59°F to 68°F. Chance of precipitation is 0%. Sightseeing conditions score 9.6/10 - excellent - go now.
The best time to visit Lake Michigan is July, August and September. The climate is subarctic. January, March and December tend to be the least comfortable months. August is the warmest month with average highs near 69°F, while January is the coldest with lows near 21°F.
The closest major airport is O'Hare International Airport (ORD), about 147 mi away. Nearby highlights include Indiana Dunes National Park, Starved Rock State Park and Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.
In plain terms. Today is about average for August. The forecast high of 68°F is in line with the 69°F typical for this month. The best window to be outside is roughly 7 AM to 10 AM, when temperature, rain chance and wind line up best. stargazing is the strongest bet in Lake Michigan today at 9.9/10. No weather-related travel disruption is expected today. Roads and airports should run normally.
Compiled from this page's own data: atlas facts plus live Open-Meteo readings.
Climate in Lake Michigan month by month
Average high, average low and total rainfall, based on three years of reanalysis data.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rainfall | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28° | 21° | 2,6 in | ★★☆☆☆ |
| February | 33° | 25° | 1,3 in | ★★☆☆☆ |
| March | 37° | 30° | 3,8 in | ★★☆☆☆ |
| April | 41° | 35° | 3,6 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| May | 47° | 41° | 4,0 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| June | 56° | 51° | 3,7 in | ★★★★☆ |
| July | 67° | 63° | 2,4 in | ★★★★☆ |
| August | 69° | 64° | 1,9 in | ★★★★☆ |
| September | 65° | 61° | 1,3 in | ★★★★☆ |
| October | 57° | 51° | 3,1 in | ★★★★☆ |
| November | 45° | 39° | 2,8 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| December | 36° | 29° | 2,4 in | ★★☆☆☆ |
Climate type: Subarctic. Source: Open-Meteo archive (ERA5).
Explore Lake Michigan
Every topic we hold for this place, and the same topic for the places around it.
Geography for related places
Frequently asked questions
Where is Lake Michigan?
Lake Michigan is a lake in Illinois. Its coordinates are 44, -87. It lies in North America.
What is the weather like in Lake Michigan right now?
It is currently 66°F (19°C) with clear. Humidity is 66% and wind is 7 mph.
When is the best time to visit Lake Michigan?
July, August and September offer the most comfortable conditions in Lake Michigan, which has a subarctic climate. January, March and December are usually the hardest months for outdoor plans.
What time zone is Lake Michigan in?
Lake Michigan observes America/Detroit (UTC-04:00). The local time is 8:49 PM.
What is the nearest airport to Lake Michigan?
The closest airports are O'Hare International Airport (ORD), 147 mi away.
What are the top things to do in Lake Michigan?
Popular options include Indiana Dunes National Park, Starved Rock State Park and Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.
Related articles
Data sources and methodology
| Place data | USPOTUS Atlas dataset (lakes) - coordinates, hierarchy and facts. |
|---|---|
| Map tiles | OpenStreetMap contributors, CARTO and Esri. |
| Elevation | Open-Meteo digital elevation model where the dataset has no value. |
| Method | Scores, comparisons and advice on this page are computed from the inputs above. Distances are straight-line. Nothing is estimated where data is missing - the block is simply not shown. |
Last updated August 24, 2026 at 8:49 PM local time. Live blocks refresh every 15 minutes; climate averages monthly.
