KidK9
Contributor
Can someone tell me what the water temperature at depth is in either Lake Michigan or Lake Erie. Thanks much.
Great Lakes temp at depth?
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KidK9:
I think Lake Michigan bottoms out at about 1300 ft and I'm guessing it's about 39 deg F.
There's lot of good dives shallower though. There are wrecks at all depths and you can get temps in the mid 70's down to 30 or 40 ft in the summer at the southern end of the lake.
Once you get below a couple thermoclines it's always cold.
What kind of dives are you looking for? There are some worthwhile wrecks at easy recreational depth and some really great stuff as you get a little deeper.
I haven't been in Erie yet but I've been around Michigan and Superior a little.
OP
KidK9
Contributor
Yes, I guess I meant temperatures at depth of most wrecks, I should have been more clear. So anything in the 80 feet and shallower range would work for me.
KidK9:
Be prepared for everything from the 30's to the 50's.
Off Chicago is alot shallower, so in the middle of summer you can see 50-70 degree water. Up off Milwaukee where it gets deeper it also gets colder.
diver_paula
Contributor
Also, Lake Erie warms up more than the other Great Lakes as it is the shallowest overall.
The Southern Basin of Lake Michigan is still going through the Spring turnover. Right now temps off Chicago are in the high 30's to low 40's and there isn't a thermocline - although I've only been down to 120 ft in the past couple of weeks. Further north around Two Rivers the temps are still in the high 30's with no thermocline. A few more warm days, especially sunny ones, will introduce a thermocline and then the top-water will begin to warm up considerably.KidK9:
Vis has been terrific, often nearing 50 feet. For those familiar with the area, divers on opposite sides of the car ferry off Milwaukee were able to exchange hand signs a couple of weeks ago - that's a 56' beam plus a few. Not wetsuit weather, however.
It's been a little over a week with some serious rain and some warm days (though not much sun) so things may well have changed, but on the 16th it was 41F top to bottom - a little colder inside. Vis was as good as I've ever seen on the wreck, so have fun.
CrazyDave
Contributor
Reef,
I am going with Juls on Sunday in my wetsuit. The cold water does not bother me all that much. We did the Willie last August and the Vis was just about what you described on the Ferry. I have been lucky so far and only had one dive in the lake that the Vis just sucked. "Knock on wood"
I am going with Juls on Sunday in my wetsuit. The cold water does not bother me all that much. We did the Willie last August and the Vis was just about what you described on the Ferry. I have been lucky so far and only had one dive in the lake that the Vis just sucked. "Knock on wood"
Jandee
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I dive Lake Michigan about every 2 weeks from May to Oct. 2 weeks ago I dove on the Willie which is about 5 miles off of Milwaukee, the water was 43 degrees at depth, about 80 feet, surface was in the mid 60's. This is about average. Probably the coldest I have experienced is 36 degrees in early spring. This last weekend the water was 66 degrees at 72 feet. The winds were just right and probably forcing the warmer water downward, this was pretty unusual and I would not be surprised if the water was back to 43 degrees this weekend. Gotta love it.
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