Great Lakes Flying Weather
MI · WI · OH · IN · IL · PA · NY · 2006–2025 · 161 eligible airports
Lake-modified continental climate in which Great Lakes moisture drives one of the cloudiest cool seasons in the lower 48: persistent MVFR/IFR stratocumulus and lake-effect snow bands downwind of the lakes from November through February, with significant airframe icing in the stratus layers. Spring and summer bring thunderstorm clusters and occasional derechos moving in off the Plains, plus lake-breeze fronts that shift surface winds and focus convection near shorelines. Winds are generally westerly and moderate, strongest with fall and winter cyclones crossing the lakes. Best flying is midsummer through early fall; worst is late fall through winter when lake-effect snow and synoptic overcast dominate.
- Daylight VFR
- 74.3%
- VFR days/yr
- 232
- Mean wind
- 6.6 kt
- Most VFR month
- July
- Fewest VFR month
- December
- VFR Score
- 33
Regional standouts
VFR conditions by month
Regional average across eligible airports
| Month | VFR % |
|---|---|
| Jan | 51.3% |
| Feb | 62.6% |
| Mar | 72.4% |
| Apr | 77.6% |
| May | 81.6% |
| Jun | 83.9% |
| Jul | 86.1% |
| Aug | 83.3% |
| Sep | 80.0% |
| Oct | 76.4% |
| Nov | 69.1% |
| Dec | 50.6% |
Average wind by month
Regional average sustained wind
| Month | Mean wind (kt) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 7.6 kt |
| Feb | 7.6 kt |
| Mar | 7.6 kt |
| Apr | 7.9 kt |
| May | 6.6 kt |
| Jun | 5.8 kt |
| Jul | 5.0 kt |
| Aug | 4.8 kt |
| Sep | 5.2 kt |
| Oct | 6.5 kt |
| Nov | 7.2 kt |
| Dec | 7.4 kt |
Every airport in Great Lakes, ranked
Sort by any column. Best VFR Score first.
| KCMXHoughton County Memorial Airport | Hancock | 63.5 | 17.5 | 191 | 8 kt | 11 |
| KERYLuce County Airport | Newberry | 64.1 | 15.8 | 181 | 6 kt | 12 |
| KJHWChautauqua County-Jamestown Airport | Jamestown | 62.3 | 17.6 | 184 | 7 kt | 12 |
| KOLECattaraugus County-Olean Airport | Olean | 58.4 | 21.5 | 181 | 5 kt | 12 |
| KELZWellsville Municipal Airport - Tarantine Field | Wellsville | 63.9 | 15.3 | 197 | 7 kt | 13 |
| KCADWexford County Airport | Cadillac | 64.0 | 16.0 | 202 | 6 kt | 17 |
| KCIUChippewa County International Airport | Kincheloe | 66.7 | 14.2 | 192 | 7 kt | 17 |
| KSAWMarquette/Sawyer International Airport | Gwinn | 66.7 | 14.9 | 198 | 7 kt | 17 |
| KYNGYoungstown Warren Regional Airport | Youngstown/Warren | 70.8 | 12.0 | 216 | 7 kt | 20 |
| KBGMGreater Binghamton/Edwin A Link field | Binghamton | 68.5 | 14.3 | 207 | 6 kt | 20 |
| KANJSault Ste Marie Municipal Airport Sanderson Field | Sault Ste Marie | 68.1 | 13.2 | 202 | 6 kt | 22 |
| KIWDGogebic Iron County Airport | Ironwood | 66.6 | 13.1 | 204 | 7 kt | 22 |
| KFKLVenango Regional Airport | Franklin | 67.1 | 14.7 | 207 | 6 kt | 22 |
| KITHIthaca Tompkins Regional Airport | Ithaca | 68.7 | 9.2 | 210 | 6 kt | 22 |
| KGKJPort Meadville Airport | Meadville | 68.7 | 14.3 | 208 | 5 kt | 22 |
| KMCDMackinac Island Airport | Mackinac Island | 68.8 | 12.4 | 205 | 6 kt | 23 |
| KGRRGerald R. Ford International Airport | Grand Rapids | 71.5 | 10.4 | 229 | 7 kt | 23 |
| KSJXBeaver Island Airport | Beaver Island | 67.2 | 11.0 | 206 | 7 kt | 23 |
| KAZOKalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport | Kalamazoo | 70.3 | 11.2 | 225 | 6 kt | 24 |
| KHTLRoscommon County - Blodgett Memorial Airport | Houghton Lake | 68.9 | 12.3 | 215 | 6 kt | 25 |
| KRQBRoben Hood Airport | Big Rapids | 67.2 | 12.0 | 215 | 5 kt | 25 |
| KMBLManistee County Blacker Airport | Manistee | 67.5 | 10.6 | 211 | 6 kt | 25 |
| KISQSchoolcraft County Airport | Manistique | 69.2 | 12.5 | 209 | 6 kt | 25 |
| KMFDMansfield Lahm Regional Airport | Mansfield | 72.1 | 11.9 | 224 | 7 kt | 25 |
| KLDMMason County Airport | Ludington | 67.7 | 10.8 | 217 | 6 kt | 26 |
| KCVXCharlevoix Municipal Airport | Charlevoix | 69.6 | 8.4 | 213 | 7 kt | 26 |
| KMKGMuskegon County Airport | Muskegon | 72.3 | 10.2 | 219 | 8 kt | 26 |
| KBEHSouthwest Michigan Regional Airport | Benton Harbor | 70.6 | 10.1 | 220 | 6 kt | 26 |
| KFFXFremont Municipal Airport | Fremont | 69.0 | 11.2 | 214 | 5 kt | 26 |
| KJYMHillsdale Municipal Airport | Hillsdale | 68.7 | 13.2 | 220 | 6 kt | 26 |
| KPTKOakland County International Airport | Pontiac | 71.8 | 10.7 | 229 | 7 kt | 27 |
| KCWACentral Wisconsin Airport | Mosinee | 71.6 | 12.2 | 211 | 6 kt | 27 |
| KBTLBattle Creek Executive Airport at Kellogg Field | Battle Creek | 72.3 | 10.7 | 225 | 7 kt | 27 |
| KBJJWayne County Airport | Wooster | 71.2 | 10.5 | 227 | 6 kt | 27 |
| KPZQPresque Isle County Airport | Rogers City | 70.6 | 9.3 | 212 | 6 kt | 27 |
| KMGNHarbor Springs Airport | Harbor Springs | 69.4 | 9.6 | 210 | 5 kt | 27 |
| KGSHGoshen Municipal Airport | Goshen | 72.2 | 9.6 | 230 | 7 kt | 28 |
| KTVCCherry Capital Airport | Traverse City | 70.8 | 8.4 | 225 | 5 kt | 28 |
| KFKSFrankfort Dow Memorial Field | Frankfort | 69.8 | 8.6 | 215 | 5 kt | 28 |
| KACBAntrim County Airport | Bellaire | 66.4 | 9.9 | 212 | 3 kt | 28 |
| KMDZTaylor County Airport | Medford | 69.4 | 14.1 | 230 | 6 kt | 29 |
| KAIGLanglade County Airport | Antigo | 69.4 | 13.6 | 230 | 7 kt | 29 |
| KSLHCheboygan County Airport | Cheboygan | 70.6 | 10.1 | 214 | 5 kt | 29 |
| KLANCapital Region International Airport | Lansing | 73.3 | 9.5 | 230 | 7 kt | 29 |
| KSBNSouth Bend International Airport | South Bend | 73.5 | 10.5 | 233 | 7 kt | 29 |
| KARRAurora Municipal Airport | Chicago/Aurora | 73.5 | 9.4 | 240 | 7 kt | 29 |
| KBIVWest Michigan Regional Airport | Holland | 72.7 | 9.8 | 226 | 7 kt | 29 |
| KMFIMarshfield Municipal Airport | Marshfield | 72.6 | 11.9 | 232 | 7 kt | 29 |
| KOEBBranch County Memorial Airport | Coldwater | 70.3 | 10.6 | 226 | 6 kt | 29 |
| KBAXHuron County Memorial Airport | Bad Axe | 70.7 | 10.8 | 216 | 6 kt | 30 |
| KJXNJackson County Airport/Reynolds Field | Jackson | 71.9 | 10.7 | 228 | 6 kt | 30 |
| KERIErie International Tom Ridge Field | Erie | 74.6 | 7.9 | 226 | 8 kt | 30 |
| KHZYNortheast Ohio Regional Airport | Ashtabula | 72.6 | 9.9 | 223 | 6 kt | 30 |
| KAOHLima Allen County Airport | Lima | 74.7 | 9.4 | 233 | 7 kt | 31 |
| KOZWLivingston County Spencer J. Hardy Airport | Howell | 71.0 | 10.7 | 227 | 5 kt | 31 |
| KHAIThree Rivers Municipal Dr Haines Airport | Three Rivers | 70.3 | 10.0 | 230 | 5 kt | 31 |
| KIRSKirsch Municipal Airport | Sturgis | 71.1 | 10.4 | 229 | 6 kt | 31 |
| KAUWWausau Downtown Airport | Wausau | 72.7 | 10.1 | 233 | 6 kt | 31 |
| KARBAnn Arbor Municipal Airport | Ann Arbor | 71.0 | 11.5 | 234 | 6 kt | 31 |
| KDKBDeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport | DeKalb | 73.9 | 11.1 | 244 | 8 kt | 31 |
| KBUFBuffalo Niagara International Airport | Buffalo | 75.4 | 8.6 | 234 | 8 kt | 31 |
| KFPKFitch H Beach Airport | Charlotte | 70.4 | 10.7 | 228 | 5 kt | 31 |
| KIMTFord Airport | Kingsford | 70.5 | 11.8 | 225 | 5 kt | 32 |
| KFZYOswego County Airport | Fulton | 72.9 | 10.2 | 220 | 5 kt | 32 |
| KIAGNiagara Falls International Airport | Niagara Falls | 75.2 | 8.3 | 235 | 8 kt | 32 |
| KLPRLorain County Regional Airport | Lorain/Elyria | 74.7 | 7.9 | 230 | 7 kt | 32 |
| KAKRAkron Fulton International Airport | Akron | 74.1 | 8.4 | 231 | 6 kt | 32 |
| KAMNGratiot Community Airport | Alma | 70.7 | 10.3 | 227 | 6 kt | 32 |
| KLWASouth Haven Area Regional Airport | South Haven | 71.9 | 9.0 | 228 | 6 kt | 32 |
| KVPZPorter County Municipal Airport | Valparaiso | 73.7 | 10.0 | 234 | 6 kt | 32 |
| KDTWDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport | Detroit | 75.1 | 7.7 | 247 | 7 kt | 32 |
| KPOVPortage County Regional Airport | Ravenna | 70.1 | 12.0 | 214 | 4 kt | 32 |
| KTEWMason Jewett Field | Mason | 70.8 | 10.5 | 230 | 5 kt | 33 |
| KAPNAlpena County Regional Airport | Alpena | 73.3 | 9.5 | 224 | 6 kt | 33 |
| KUGNWaukegan National Airport | Chicago/Waukegan | 73.9 | 9.9 | 229 | 6 kt | 33 |
| KCLECleveland Hopkins International Airport | Cleveland | 76.5 | 6.7 | 237 | 8 kt | 33 |
| KASWWarsaw Municipal Airport | Warsaw | 71.3 | 10.4 | 232 | 5 kt | 33 |
| KDKKChautauqua County-Dunkirk Airport | Dunkirk | 75.4 | 6.9 | 232 | 8 kt | 33 |
| KMGCMichigan City Municipal Airport | Michigan City | 70.5 | 10.0 | 228 | 5 kt | 33 |
| KFDYFindlay Airport | Findlay | 76.2 | 8.1 | 238 | 8 kt | 33 |
| KBKLBurke Lakefront Airport | Cleveland | 77.5 | 5.3 | 234 | 9 kt | 33 |
| KFNTBishop International Airport | Flint | 75.1 | 8.3 | 238 | 7 kt | 34 |
| KDPADupage Airport | Chicago/West Chicago | 75.4 | 9.2 | 244 | 7 kt | 34 |
| KRMYBrooks Field | Marshall | 70.8 | 10.7 | 228 | 5 kt | 34 |
| KRCRFulton County Airport | Rochester | 73.5 | 9.7 | 240 | 6 kt | 34 |
| KDRMDrummond Island Airport | Drummond Island | 71.2 | 11.1 | 220 | 4 kt | 34 |
| KLNRTri-County Regional Airport | Spring Green | 72.4 | 9.8 | 244 | 5 kt | 34 |
| KGUSGrissom Air Reserve Base | Peru | 76.7 | 9.0 | 239 | 7 kt | 34 |
| KEFTMonroe Municipal Airport | Monroe | 74.8 | 11.7 | 245 | 7 kt | 35 |
| KPPOLa Porte Municipal Airport | La Porte | 74.2 | 10.5 | 240 | 6 kt | 35 |
| KENWKenosha Regional Airport | Kenosha | 74.3 | 10.1 | 244 | 7 kt | 35 |
| KLOTLewis University Airport | Chicago/Romeoville | 75.4 | 8.8 | 248 | 7 kt | 35 |
| KFWAFort Wayne International Airport | Fort Wayne | 76.6 | 8.2 | 249 | 7 kt | 35 |
| KSBMSheboygan County Memorial Airport | Sheboygan | 74.2 | 10.1 | 239 | 7 kt | 35 |
| KUESWaukesha County Airport | Waukesha | 73.8 | 11.0 | 232 | 6 kt | 36 |
| KRPJRochelle Municipal Airport - Koritz Field | Rochelle | 74.6 | 9.3 | 248 | 7 kt | 36 |
| KUNUDodge County Airport | Juneau | 73.8 | 10.6 | 239 | 6 kt | 36 |
| KRACJohn H Batten Airport | Racine | 75.8 | 9.0 | 244 | 7 kt | 36 |
| KSTEStevens Point Municipal Airport | Stevens Point | 73.1 | 10.9 | 241 | 5 kt | 36 |
| KMTWManitowoc County Airport | Manitowoc | 74.6 | 9.6 | 234 | 7 kt | 36 |
| KOSCOscoda Wurtsmith Airport | Oscoda | 74.6 | 8.7 | 231 | 7 kt | 36 |
| KIGQLansing Municipal Airport | Chicago | 74.7 | 8.5 | 248 | 6 kt | 36 |
| KMBSMBS International Airport | Freeland | 76.3 | 8.7 | 237 | 7 kt | 36 |
| KRNPOwosso Community Airport | Owosso | 73.7 | 8.8 | 236 | 5 kt | 37 |
| KADGLenawee County Airport | Adrian | 75.2 | 8.4 | 240 | 6 kt | 37 |
| KMSNDane County Regional Truax Field | Madison | 75.3 | 9.1 | 250 | 6 kt | 37 |
| KGGPLogansport Cass County Airport | Logansport | 74.3 | 9.4 | 237 | 6 kt | 37 |
| KMOPMount Pleasant Municipal Airport | Mount Pleasant | 71.6 | 10.3 | 235 | 5 kt | 37 |
| KPHNSt Clair County International Airport | Port Huron | 70.6 | 11.4 | 234 | 5 kt | 37 |
| KMKEGeneral Mitchell International Airport | Milwaukee | 76.8 | 8.6 | 254 | 8 kt | 37 |
| KDLLBaraboo Wisconsin Dells Regional Airport | Baraboo | 73.7 | 11.0 | 247 | 5 kt | 38 |
| KYIPWillow Run Airport | Detroit | 76.0 | 7.7 | 243 | 7 kt | 38 |
| KOSHWittman Regional Airport | Oshkosh | 76.3 | 8.6 | 246 | 7 kt | 38 |
| KISWAlexander Field South Wood County Airport | Wisconsin Rapids | 74.6 | 10.4 | 245 | 6 kt | 38 |
| KMWCLawrence J Timmerman Airport | Milwaukee | 75.0 | 9.3 | 234 | 7 kt | 38 |
| KTDZToledo Executive Airport | Toledo | 77.4 | 6.9 | 244 | 7 kt | 38 |
| KVOKVolk Field | Camp Douglas | 73.5 | 10.9 | 244 | 6 kt | 38 |
| KMDWChicago Midway International Airport | Chicago | 77.8 | 7.1 | 260 | 8 kt | 38 |
| KDFIDefiance Memorial Airport | Defiance | 75.9 | 8.2 | 242 | 5 kt | 38 |
| KPEOPenn Yan Airport | Penn Yan | 76.3 | 7.2 | 237 | 6 kt | 38 |
| KROCFrederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport | Rochester | 77.9 | 7.1 | 247 | 7 kt | 38 |
| KPWKChicago Executive Airport | Chicago/Prospect Heights/Wheeling | 76.8 | 8.4 | 249 | 7 kt | 38 |
| KETBWest Bend Municipal Airport | West Bend | 73.3 | 10.8 | 241 | 6 kt | 39 |
| KGWBDe Kalb County Airport | Auburn | 73.5 | 9.7 | 241 | 5 kt | 39 |
| KCFSTuscola Area Airport | Caro | 73.2 | 9.5 | 237 | 5 kt | 39 |
| KBCKBlack River Falls Area Airport | Black River Falls | 71.0 | 11.4 | 247 | 4 kt | 39 |
| KGRBAustin Straubel International Airport | Green Bay | 76.3 | 8.8 | 249 | 7 kt | 39 |
| KTOLEugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport | Toledo | 76.8 | 7.9 | 243 | 6 kt | 39 |
| KORDChicago O'Hare International Airport | Chicago | 77.9 | 7.3 | 259 | 8 kt | 39 |
| KRZLJasper County Airport | Rensselaer | 76.0 | 9.0 | 249 | 6 kt | 39 |
| KIKWJack Barstow Airport | Midland | 74.2 | 8.9 | 237 | 5 kt | 39 |
| KIKKGreater Kankakee Airport | Kankakee | 76.0 | 8.9 | 252 | 7 kt | 39 |
| KEAUChippewa Valley Regional Airport | Eau Claire | 75.7 | 8.7 | 249 | 6 kt | 40 |
| KRFDChicago Rockford International Airport | Chicago/Rockford | 77.7 | 8.2 | 258 | 7 kt | 40 |
| KARTWatertown International Airport | Watertown | 76.9 | 7.8 | 235 | 6 kt | 40 |
| KESCDelta County Airport | Escanaba | 74.7 | 9.1 | 239 | 6 kt | 40 |
| KOVSBoscobel Airport | Boscobel | 71.0 | 11.5 | 254 | 4 kt | 40 |
| KMSSMassena International Airport Richards Field | Massena | 76.9 | 9.1 | 239 | 6 kt | 40 |
| KHYXSaginaw County H.W. Browne Airport | Saginaw | 76.3 | 7.1 | 242 | 7 kt | 40 |
| KTTFCuster Airport | Monroe | 74.9 | 8.1 | 243 | 6 kt | 40 |
| KLUMMenomonie Municipal Score Field | Menomonie | 76.0 | 8.0 | 252 | 6 kt | 41 |
| KELMElmira Corning Regional Airport | Elmira/Corning | 72.9 | 8.7 | 251 | 4 kt | 41 |
| KLSELa Crosse Regional Airport | La Crosse | 76.8 | 6.2 | 256 | 6 kt | 41 |
| KDETColeman A. Young Municipal Airport | Detroit | 78.1 | 6.4 | 248 | 7 kt | 41 |
| KPVBPlatteville Municipal Airport | Platteville | 75.1 | 10.6 | 243 | 7 kt | 41 |
| KFLDFond du Lac County Airport | Fond du Lac | 77.7 | 7.7 | 250 | 7 kt | 41 |
| KSYRSyracuse Hancock International Airport | Syracuse | 78.7 | 6.2 | 248 | 6 kt | 41 |
| KMCXWhite County Airport | Monticello | 76.2 | 8.4 | 241 | 5 kt | 41 |
| KVLLOakland Troy Airport | Troy | 76.3 | 7.3 | 244 | 6 kt | 41 |
| KONZGrosse Ile Municipal Airport | Detroit/Grosse Ile | 76.8 | 7.0 | 244 | 6 kt | 42 |
| KRNHNew Richmond Regional Airport | New Richmond | 75.8 | 8.5 | 253 | 6 kt | 43 |
| KJOTJoliet Regional Airport | Joliet | 76.2 | 8.1 | 260 | 5 kt | 44 |
| KDUHToledo Suburban Airport | Lambertville | 75.0 | 8.8 | 246 | 4 kt | 44 |
| KMNMMenominee–Marinette Twin County Airport | Menominee | 77.1 | 8.4 | 247 | 6 kt | 44 |
| KCMYSparta Fort McCoy Airport | Sparta | 76.6 | 7.4 | 255 | 4 kt | 44 |
| KPCZWaupaca Municipal Airport | Waupaca | 75.5 | 9.0 | 252 | 5 kt | 44 |
| KMLIQuad City International Airport | Moline | 79.7 | 7.0 | 264 | 7 kt | 45 |
| KBUUBurlington Municipal Airport | Burlington | 74.8 | 10.0 | 257 | 5 kt | 46 |
| KPDCPrairie Du Chien Municipal Airport | Prairie Du Chien | 76.5 | 7.0 | 259 | 4 kt | 47 |
| KDSVDansville Municipal Airport | Dansville | 79.8 | 4.0 | 255 | 5 kt | 48 |
| KOCQJ. Douglas Bake Memorial Airport | Oconto | 76.3 | 9.2 | 253 | 5 kt | 50 |
The pattern in Great Lakes
Across 2006–2025, the 161 eligible airports in Great Lakes reported VFR conditions during about 74.3% of valid daytime observations, with an estimated 232 VFR flying days per year and a mean surface wind of 6.6 kt. KDSV (Dansville Municipal Airport) had the most VFR weather at 81.2%. KOLE saw the most instrument conditions, at 21.5% IFR/LIFR. The lowest-ranked eligible field by VFR Score was KCMX (Houghton County Memorial Airport).
Neighboring regions
How Great Lakes is defined
MI entire. WI: all counties EXCEPT the 15 northwestern counties (Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland, Iron, Vilas, Oneida, Lincoln, Price, Taylor, Rusk, Sawyer, Washburn, Burnett, Polk, Barron), which belong to northern-plains. OH: ONLY the 34 northern lake-plain/snowbelt counties — Williams, Fulton, Lucas, Ottawa, Defiance, Henry, Wood, Sandusky, Erie, Lorain, Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, Ashtabula, Paulding, Putnam, Hancock, Seneca, Huron, Medina, Summit, Portage, Trumbull, Mahoning, Van Wert, Allen, Hardin, Wyandot, Crawford, Richland, Ashland, Wayne, Stark, Columbiana. IN: ONLY the 26 northern counties — Lake, Porter, LaPorte, St. Joseph, Elkhart, LaGrange, Steuben, Newton, Jasper, Starke, Pulaski, Fulton, Marshall, Kosciusko, Noble, DeKalb, Whitley, Allen, Benton, White, Cass, Miami, Wabash, Huntington, Wells, Adams. IL: ONLY the 23 northern counties — Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Lake, Carroll, Whiteside, Ogle, Lee, DeKalb, Kane, Cook, DuPage, Rock Island, Henry, Bureau, Putnam, LaSalle, Kendall, Grundy, Will, Kankakee. PA: ONLY the 6 northwest lake-influenced counties — Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Venango, Forest, Warren. NY: all counties EXCEPT the 30 eastern counties listed under mid-atlantic (i.e., the 32 western/central upstate counties from the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Binghamton tiers westward). All other OH/IN/IL counties belong to ohio-valley; all other PA and NY counties belong to mid-atlantic or ohio-valley per their rules.
Educational use only. Historical weather rankings from ATIS Alerts are educational summaries of past observations — not a forecast, flight-planning tool, or safety rating. They do not replace current METARs, TAFs, NOTAMs, ATIS, or a weather briefing, and favorable history does not make any airport safe. Always check current conditions and use your own judgment before flight.
