Lake Michigan Buoy Data from National Data Buoy Center

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Posted Nov 22, 2024

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Yellow Boat and a Red Buoy on Blue Lake Water
Credit: pexels.com, Yellow Boat and a Red Buoy on Blue Lake Water

The National Data Buoy Center provides valuable information on Lake Michigan's conditions. The center offers data from buoys located on the lake, including temperature, wind speed, and wave height.

These buoys are strategically placed to collect data that helps us understand the lake's behavior. One such buoy is located near the city of Chicago, where the lake's conditions can be quite rough.

The data from these buoys is updated regularly, giving us a real-time snapshot of the lake's conditions. This information is crucial for sailors, fishermen, and anyone planning to spend time on the lake.

Lake Michigan Buoys

Lake Michigan Buoys are a vital tool for those who enjoy the lake's waters. They provide real-time data on weather, waves, and water quality.

Some buoys are equipped with solar power, allowing them to collect data every 30 minutes. The Green Bay Buoy (GB17) is one such example, collecting data every 30 minutes with its solar-powered system.

Credit: youtube.com, Great Lakes buoy data helps NWS, Coast Guard, anglers, more

These buoys are not just limited to collecting data; they also help with ongoing research and outreach. The National Parks Service at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore operates a water quality and meteorological buoy in Good Harbor Bay.

A few buoys, like the ones in Southern Lake Michigan, are fixed stations that collect data all year round. Most of these fixed stations are owned by NWS or GLERL.

Here's a list of some of the buoys mentioned in the article:

Guy Meadows

Guy Meadows is a renowned expert in oceanography and Great Lakes research. He spent 35 years as a Professor of Physical Oceanography at the University of Michigan.

Guy Meadows has a wealth of experience in establishing research centers, having joined Michigan Tech in 2012 to help establish the Great Lakes Research Center. His goal is to develop environmentally sound engineering solutions for the marine environment.

Meadows' teaching extends beyond the university setting, with five nationally televised documentaries under his belt. He has worked with the History and Discovery Channels to share his knowledge with a wider audience.

Meadows' research focuses on geophysical fluid dynamics, with an emphasis on environmental forecasting and experimental hydrodynamics.

Southern Buoys

Credit: youtube.com, Buoy installed in Lake Michigan to help with real-time data

Southern Buoys are scattered throughout the southern part of Lake Michigan, providing valuable data on the lake's conditions. These buoys collect data on wind direction, speed, gusts, and atmospheric pressure.

Some of the buoys are maintained by the National Weather Service (NWS), while others are owned by universities and research institutions. For example, the Kenosha Light buoy, identified as KNSW3, is a fixed buoy owned by the NWS.

The Waukegan Buoy, identified as 45186, is a buoy owned by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and collects data on wind direction, speed, gusts, wave height, and atmospheric temperature.

Here's a list of some of the Southern Buoys:

Some of these buoys collect data all year round, while others may have limited data collection periods.

Station 45161 - Muskegon

Station 45161 - Muskegon is a vital part of Lake Michigan's buoy network, providing essential data on water conditions.

This buoy is located in the Muskegon area, on the eastern coast of Lake Michigan, about 40 miles north of Grand Haven.

Credit: youtube.com, Harbor 31 celebrates next phase of Muskegon Lake development

The data collected by this buoy is used to monitor water temperature, wave height, and wind speed, among other factors.

It's worth noting that this buoy is one of the many that help scientists track changes in Lake Michigan's water levels, which can have a significant impact on the surrounding communities.

The data from this buoy is transmitted in real-time to the National Data Buoy Center, where it's used to inform decisions about water safety and management.

Green Bay Dashboard

The Green Bay Dashboard is a valuable tool for anyone cruising the waters of Green Bay and Lake Michigan.

The Green Bay buoy, specifically GB17, is located approximately 40 km northeast of the mouth of the Fox River in southern Green Bay.

The buoy is secured by a two-point mooring system over a mud substrate in 13 meters of water.

This solar-powered buoy is equipped with a weather station and wave sensor that collect data every 30 minutes.

Credit: youtube.com, Know Your Buoys: Red & Green Channel Markers

In addition to the weather and wave data, the buoy also collects information from a vertical string of temperature sensors, a downward-looking current profiler, a surface water quality sonde, a high resolution fluorometer, and a cellular modem for real-time data communication.

This data is crucial for making informed cruising decisions, as a recreational user of the bay notes, "The data you are providing is valuable when making our cruising decisions."

Katrina Sanford

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Katrina Sanford is a seasoned writer with a knack for crafting compelling content on a wide range of topics. Her expertise spans the realm of important issues, where she delves into thought-provoking subjects that resonate with readers. Her ability to distill complex concepts into engaging narratives has earned her a reputation as a versatile and reliable writer.

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