Lake Michigan at Calumet Harbor (Chicago) Water Level
NOAA CO-OPS (Tides & Currents) · Illinois
Latest reading Oct 26, 5:36 PM · elevation
Lake Michigan at Calumet Harbor (Chicago) is at 579.13 ft today, 0.6 ft higher than a year ago. It has risen 0.27 ft since yesterday.
Water level chart
ft above sea levelReading
Lake Michigan at Calumet Harbor (Chicago) fishing report & conditions
updated Oct 26, 6:49 PM ETLevel rising, moderate NNE wind — good fall fishing day (6/10), best window 7:26 AM–8:26 AM (moonset near sunrise).
- Water temp—no water-temperature sensor on this water yet
- Air temphigh 61°F / low 52°FPartly Sunny
- WindModerate NNE10–13 mph 6 AM–6 PM, gusts to 16
- Level579.13 ftLevel rising 0.27 ft in 24 h
Official Illinois fishing info: Illinois DNR — iFishIllinois fishing info
Best fishing times today
Today is a good fishing day (solunar + local conditions)
6/10
Full moon · 99% lit · New moon Mon, Nov 9 · Sunrise 7:15 AM · Sunset 5:52 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon underfoot11:58 AM–1:58 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonset7:26 AM–8:26 AMSunrise
- Moonrise5:21 PM–6:21 PMSunset
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayOct 26 | 6/10Good | Major 11:58 AM–1:58 PM Minor 7:26 AM–8:26 AM · 5:21 PM–6:21 PM Moderate wind 10–13 mph |
|---|---|---|
| TueOct 27 | 5/10Fair | Major 12:26 AM–2:26 AM · 12:56 PM–2:56 PM Minor 8:45 AM–9:45 AM · 6:01 PM–7:01 PM Light wind 6–8 mph |
| WedOct 28 | 3/10Poor | Major 1:27 AM–3:27 AM · 1:59 PM–3:59 PM Minor 10:03 AM–11:03 AM · 6:52 PM–7:52 PM Light wind 5–8 mph |
| ThuOct 29 | 5/10Fair | Major 2:31 AM–4:31 AM · 3:04 PM–5:04 PM Minor 11:13 AM–12:13 PM · 7:54 PM–8:54 PM Moderate wind 7–12 mph |
| FriOct 30 | 4/10Fair | Major 3:36 AM–5:36 AM · 4:07 PM–6:07 PM Minor 12:12 PM–1:12 PM · 9:06 PM–10:06 PM Light wind 5–7 mph |
| SatOct 31 | 5/10Fair | Major 4:38 AM–6:38 AM · 5:07 PM–7:07 PM Minor 12:59 PM–1:59 PM · 10:22 PM–11:22 PM Light wind 6–7 mph |
| SunNov 1 | 5/10Fair | Major 4:35 AM–6:35 AM · 5:02 PM–7:02 PM Minor 12:35 PM–1:35 PM · 10:38 PM–11:38 PM Light wind 5–6 mph |
How this rating works
Solunar theory says fish feed more when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor periods, about 1 hour). On a lake or river there is no tide, so instead of tide changes we score the local conditions anglers watch: the barometric pressure trend, the wind, whether the lake level is steady, and the water temperature where it is measured.
| Base | every day starts at 1 | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise / sunset | a period overlaps sunrise or sunset ±1 h: major +2, minor +1 (max 3) (Moonset × sunrise +1; Moonrise × sunset +1) | 2 |
| Moon phase | within 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 0.5 days) | 2 |
| Local conditions | pressure 6 AM→6 PM: falling +2, steady or slowly rising +1, rising fast 0 · daytime wind 4–15 mph +1, over 20 mph (or gusts over 30) −1 · level within ±0.25 ft in 24 h +1 · water 55–75°F +1, below 45°F or above 85°F −1 (0 to 4 in total)
| 1 |
| Today | 6, rounded | 6/10 |
1–3 poor · 4–5 fair · 6–7 good · 8–10 excellent. Pressure and wind are the NOAA National Weather Service hourly forecast for this spot; the level/flow trend is the latest 24 hours of readings on this page. Days 2–7 score sun, moon, forecast pressure and forecast wind only (level and water temperature aren’t forecast). Solunar times are a rule of thumb, not a guarantee.
Solunar periods calculated for 41.73, -87.54 (moon times from astronomical equations, Lake Michigan at Calumet Harbor (Chicago) local time).
Weather & wind at Lake Michigan at Calumet Harbor (Chicago)
air temperature, not water3-day forecast
- This Afternoon61° / 52°Partly SunnyWind NNE 10 mphRain 2%
- Tuesday67° / 54°Partly SunnyWind SE 5 to 10 mphRain 3%
- Wednesday71° / 58°Mostly SunnyWind S 5 to 10 mphRain 2%
NOAA National Weather Service forecast for 41.730, -87.538 (grid LOT), issued Oct 26, 3:40 PM local time. High / low are air temperatures; water temperature is in the fishing section above. The “Air temp & weather” tile at the top refreshes live.
Past 12 months
daily readings from NOAA CO-OPS (Tides & Currents)- Today579.13 ft
- Same date last year578.57 ft+0.6 ft change
- 12-month high580.16 ftAug 1, 2026
- 12-month low577.16 ftDec 19, 2025
Last 10 days
| Date | Level (ft) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Mon Oct 26 (today) | 579.13 | +0.21 |
| Sun Oct 25 | 578.92 | −0.08 |
| Sat Oct 24 | 578.99 | −0.11 |
| Fri Oct 23 | 579.10 | +0.07 |
| Thu Oct 22 | 579.03 | −0.04 |
| Wed Oct 21 | 579.08 | −0.04 |
| Tue Oct 20 | 579.12 | −0.03 |
| Tue Sep 29 | 579.14 | −0.20 |
| Mon Sep 28 | 579.34 | −0.05 |
| Sun Sep 27 | 579.39 | −0.05 |
Daily mean of all readings that day; today is the average so far.
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About this data
- Source
- NOAA CO-OPS (Tides & Currents)
- Location
- 41.7297, -87.5383 · Illinois
- Measures
- Reservoir water-surface elevation, feet above sea level (IGLD 1985)
- Latest reading
- Oct 26, 5:36 PM local time
- History
- 370 days on file since 2025-09-26
- Page built
- Oct 26, 2026 6:49 PM ET
Source: NOAA CO-OPS (Tides & Currents) (official page). Operator data is preliminary and may be revised. Great Lakes levels are measured against the International Great Lakes Datum (IGLD 1985); NOAA CO-OPS publishes 6-minute water levels and verified daily means. Weather: NOAA National Weather Service.