Wave height apps

[Sidewinder770]

What apps have you found to be good indicators for wave heights along west MI? I usually use Navionics but doesn't show wave height. I usually use windfinder.com and Windy.app is pretty good as well but wondered if there was something better..

 

[jmauld]

I use predictwind on the coast. Seems to be fairly accurate.

 

[firecadet613]

Windfinder app and the weather.gov forecasts.... they have different zones for further up the lake.

https://www.weather.gov/marine/lotmz

 

[Golfman25]

Can you check the buoys? I have a marine weather app that shows buoy data.

 

[Stee6043]

There aren't that make buoys that provide wave height out there. And my experience tells me that wave height forecasts are about as accurate as snowfall forecasts in Michigan.

I look at buoys (2 or 3 on our side of the lake) for actual wave data and predictwind for wind forecasts. Between the two I feel like you can get a pretty good idea for what the day is going to be like.

 

[yobub]

I use Windy, but really just out of curiosity. I don't rely on it for transit planning, but my son the sailor uses it regularly.

Honestly, on Lake Michigan, I can just look at the wind forecast and duration and have a pretty good idea of what the waves are going to be like. I rely more heavily on the NOAA weather forecast, which is usually pretty good for our area. Maybe not perfect in predicting wave heights, but good enough for a go/no-go decision.

We also have good buoy coverage on the west side of the lake, so I can get an idea of actual conditions, as well as water temp, if I am heading north or south. I rely on those heavily.

 

[cstinehour]

Out of curiosity, for those of you that use PredictWind, how do you interpret the following?:

This chart is consistent. Most days it is all over the map and you could throw a dart to choose which model to use. We were out Friday and the lake was like glass with a 3-5 knot breeze. I trust the buoy's with wind sensors, but I do look at all reports and data before we go out.