When to surf Lake Superior?
The surfing season on the lake is extremely seasonal and weather-dependent. Season: The best season is typically in winter/spring, before/after large storms. The waves are all generated from wind swell a few hundred miles north. Forecasting apps like Surfline are inaccurate 90% of the time (no exaggeration). Winter surfing can be an exhilarating experience, ad some of the best waves and conditions are in winter. But, it also comes with its challenges— among them is staying warm in freezing water and chilly air.
Has Lake Superior ever froze completely?
Lake Superior has only frozen over completely once since 1973, according to NOAA. The lake had 100% ice cover in 1996. Lake Michigan’s ice cover high was 93. Lake Huron had 98. Temperatures for the Great Lakes typically don’t peak until late summer/early fall, according to GLISA, and swimming in waters at 70 degrees is the most comfortable conditions.The Great Lakes reached their highest ice coverage (52. February 2022. Lake Superior was the last of the Great Lakes to become ice-free on May 11, 2025. As of June 6, 2025, water temperatures across the Great Lakes ranged from the upper 30s to mid-60s Fahrenheit.The reality is that the largest of the Great Lakes (Lake Superior and Michigan) are extremely deep lakes that are too cold for sharks. While bull sharks have been reportedly found up to 1,000 miles deep into the Mississippi, the waters are much warmer than the Great Lakes.In Lake Superior, the high temperatures were around 66 degrees. Swimming is most comfortable in lake waters at about 70 degrees, according to Swimoutlet.
Do people surf in Lake Superior?
Surfers enjoy the sport on Lake Superior year-round, with peak season running fall through winter. The waters of a lake as big as Superior aren’t warm—ever. That makes surfing, especially during prime winter and spring seasons, a sport for the hearty. This is why there aren’t many surfers on Lake Superior. It is much harder to learn how to surf in this harsh climate than in a plush, never-ending California summer. Those who do take the time to learn the lake and surfing are rewarded by a surfing community that is equal parts rugged, resilient, and welcoming.Lake Superior is generally calm and easily paddled between early June and mid-August. Mornings tend to be best for paddling, but it is not unusual to have a glassy calm for days on end.
Is Lake Superior too cold to swim in?
Cold Water Men, women, and children must understand that Lake Superior is a very cold lake year-round. Its annual average water temperature is 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Lake Superior has been named the cleanest lake in the United States in a new 2025 report which analyzed chemical data from the nation’s largest lakes and determined that Superior’s water registered virtually zero pollution.Lake Superior tops list as America’s cleanest lake. Lake Superior has been named the cleanest lake in the United States in a new 2025 report which analyzed chemical data from the nation’s largest lakes and determined that Superior’s water registered virtually zero pollution.The average underwater visibility of Lake Superior is 27 feet, making it easily the cleanest and clearest of the Great Lakes. Underwater visibility in places reaches 100 feet. Lake Superior has been described as the most oligotrophic lake in the world.
How cold is Lake Superior in winter?
While the temperature of the surface of Lake Superior varies seasonally, the temperature below 110 fathoms (660 ft; 200 m) is an almost constant 39 °F (4 °C). Hypothermia – (the lowering of the body’s core temperature) is an ever-present danger on Lake Superior. A drop in the body’s core temperature of more than 20 degrees F can kill you.