ATIS Alerts

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

04896JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Great Lakes average VFR percentage by month
MonthVFR %
Jan51.3%
Feb62.6%
Mar72.4%
Apr77.6%
May81.6%
Jun83.9%
Jul86.1%
Aug83.3%
Sep80.0%
Oct76.4%
Nov69.1%
Dec50.6%

Average wind by month

Regional average sustained wind

049JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Great Lakes average wind by month
MonthMean wind (kt)
Jan7.6 kt
Feb7.6 kt
Mar7.6 kt
Apr7.9 kt
May6.6 kt
Jun5.8 kt
Jul5.0 kt
Aug4.8 kt
Sep5.2 kt
Oct6.5 kt
Nov7.2 kt
Dec7.4 kt

Every airport in Great Lakes, ranked

Sort by any column. Best VFR Score first.

KCMXHoughton County Memorial Airport63.517.51918 kt11
KERYLuce County Airport64.115.81816 kt12
KJHWChautauqua County-Jamestown Airport62.317.61847 kt12
KOLECattaraugus County-Olean Airport58.421.51815 kt12
KELZWellsville Municipal Airport - Tarantine Field63.915.31977 kt13
KCADWexford County Airport64.016.02026 kt17
KCIUChippewa County International Airport66.714.21927 kt17
KSAWMarquette/Sawyer International Airport66.714.91987 kt17
KYNGYoungstown Warren Regional Airport70.812.02167 kt20
KBGMGreater Binghamton/Edwin A Link field68.514.32076 kt20
KANJSault Ste Marie Municipal Airport Sanderson Field68.113.22026 kt22
KIWDGogebic Iron County Airport66.613.12047 kt22
KFKLVenango Regional Airport67.114.72076 kt22
KITHIthaca Tompkins Regional Airport68.79.22106 kt22
KGKJPort Meadville Airport68.714.32085 kt22
KMCDMackinac Island Airport68.812.42056 kt23
KGRRGerald R. Ford International Airport71.510.42297 kt23
KSJXBeaver Island Airport67.211.02067 kt23
KAZOKalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport70.311.22256 kt24
KHTLRoscommon County - Blodgett Memorial Airport68.912.32156 kt25
KRQBRoben Hood Airport67.212.02155 kt25
KMBLManistee County Blacker Airport67.510.62116 kt25
KISQSchoolcraft County Airport69.212.52096 kt25
KMFDMansfield Lahm Regional Airport72.111.92247 kt25
KLDMMason County Airport67.710.82176 kt26
KCVXCharlevoix Municipal Airport69.68.42137 kt26
KMKGMuskegon County Airport72.310.22198 kt26
KBEHSouthwest Michigan Regional Airport70.610.12206 kt26
KFFXFremont Municipal Airport69.011.22145 kt26
KJYMHillsdale Municipal Airport68.713.22206 kt26
KPTKOakland County International Airport71.810.72297 kt27
KCWACentral Wisconsin Airport71.612.22116 kt27
KBTLBattle Creek Executive Airport at Kellogg Field72.310.72257 kt27
KBJJWayne County Airport71.210.52276 kt27
KPZQPresque Isle County Airport70.69.32126 kt27
KMGNHarbor Springs Airport69.49.62105 kt27
KGSHGoshen Municipal Airport72.29.62307 kt28
KTVCCherry Capital Airport70.88.42255 kt28
KFKSFrankfort Dow Memorial Field69.88.62155 kt28
KACBAntrim County Airport66.49.92123 kt28
KMDZTaylor County Airport69.414.12306 kt29
KAIGLanglade County Airport69.413.62307 kt29
KSLHCheboygan County Airport70.610.12145 kt29
KLANCapital Region International Airport73.39.52307 kt29
KSBNSouth Bend International Airport73.510.52337 kt29
KARRAurora Municipal Airport73.59.42407 kt29
KBIVWest Michigan Regional Airport72.79.82267 kt29
KMFIMarshfield Municipal Airport72.611.92327 kt29
KOEBBranch County Memorial Airport70.310.62266 kt29
KBAXHuron County Memorial Airport70.710.82166 kt30
KJXNJackson County Airport/Reynolds Field71.910.72286 kt30
KERIErie International Tom Ridge Field74.67.92268 kt30
KHZYNortheast Ohio Regional Airport72.69.92236 kt30
KAOHLima Allen County Airport74.79.42337 kt31
KOZWLivingston County Spencer J. Hardy Airport71.010.72275 kt31
KHAIThree Rivers Municipal Dr Haines Airport70.310.02305 kt31
KIRSKirsch Municipal Airport71.110.42296 kt31
KAUWWausau Downtown Airport72.710.12336 kt31
KARBAnn Arbor Municipal Airport71.011.52346 kt31
KDKBDeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport73.911.12448 kt31
KBUFBuffalo Niagara International Airport75.48.62348 kt31
KFPKFitch H Beach Airport70.410.72285 kt31
KIMTFord Airport70.511.82255 kt32
KFZYOswego County Airport72.910.22205 kt32
KIAGNiagara Falls International Airport75.28.32358 kt32
KLPRLorain County Regional Airport74.77.92307 kt32
KAKRAkron Fulton International Airport74.18.42316 kt32
KAMNGratiot Community Airport70.710.32276 kt32
KLWASouth Haven Area Regional Airport71.99.02286 kt32
KVPZPorter County Municipal Airport73.710.02346 kt32
KDTWDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport75.17.72477 kt32
KPOVPortage County Regional Airport70.112.02144 kt32
KTEWMason Jewett Field70.810.52305 kt33
KAPNAlpena County Regional Airport73.39.52246 kt33
KUGNWaukegan National Airport73.99.92296 kt33
KCLECleveland Hopkins International Airport76.56.72378 kt33
KASWWarsaw Municipal Airport71.310.42325 kt33
KDKKChautauqua County-Dunkirk Airport75.46.92328 kt33
KMGCMichigan City Municipal Airport70.510.02285 kt33
KFDYFindlay Airport76.28.12388 kt33
KBKLBurke Lakefront Airport77.55.32349 kt33
KFNTBishop International Airport75.18.32387 kt34
KDPADupage Airport75.49.22447 kt34
KRMYBrooks Field70.810.72285 kt34
KRCRFulton County Airport73.59.72406 kt34
KDRMDrummond Island Airport71.211.12204 kt34
KLNRTri-County Regional Airport72.49.82445 kt34
KGUSGrissom Air Reserve Base76.79.02397 kt34
KEFTMonroe Municipal Airport74.811.72457 kt35
KPPOLa Porte Municipal Airport74.210.52406 kt35
KENWKenosha Regional Airport74.310.12447 kt35
KLOTLewis University Airport75.48.82487 kt35
KFWAFort Wayne International Airport76.68.22497 kt35
KSBMSheboygan County Memorial Airport74.210.12397 kt35
KUESWaukesha County Airport73.811.02326 kt36
KRPJRochelle Municipal Airport - Koritz Field74.69.32487 kt36
KUNUDodge County Airport73.810.62396 kt36
KRACJohn H Batten Airport75.89.02447 kt36
KSTEStevens Point Municipal Airport73.110.92415 kt36
KMTWManitowoc County Airport74.69.62347 kt36
KOSCOscoda Wurtsmith Airport74.68.72317 kt36
KIGQLansing Municipal Airport74.78.52486 kt36
KMBSMBS International Airport76.38.72377 kt36
KRNPOwosso Community Airport73.78.82365 kt37
KADGLenawee County Airport75.28.42406 kt37
KMSNDane County Regional Truax Field75.39.12506 kt37
KGGPLogansport Cass County Airport74.39.42376 kt37
KMOPMount Pleasant Municipal Airport71.610.32355 kt37
KPHNSt Clair County International Airport70.611.42345 kt37
KMKEGeneral Mitchell International Airport76.88.62548 kt37
KDLLBaraboo Wisconsin Dells Regional Airport73.711.02475 kt38
KYIPWillow Run Airport76.07.72437 kt38
KOSHWittman Regional Airport76.38.62467 kt38
KISWAlexander Field South Wood County Airport74.610.42456 kt38
KMWCLawrence J Timmerman Airport75.09.32347 kt38
KTDZToledo Executive Airport77.46.92447 kt38
KVOKVolk Field73.510.92446 kt38
KMDWChicago Midway International Airport77.87.12608 kt38
KDFIDefiance Memorial Airport75.98.22425 kt38
KPEOPenn Yan Airport76.37.22376 kt38
KROCFrederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport77.97.12477 kt38
KPWKChicago Executive Airport76.88.42497 kt38
KETBWest Bend Municipal Airport73.310.82416 kt39
KGWBDe Kalb County Airport73.59.72415 kt39
KCFSTuscola Area Airport73.29.52375 kt39
KBCKBlack River Falls Area Airport71.011.42474 kt39
KGRBAustin Straubel International Airport76.38.82497 kt39
KTOLEugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport76.87.92436 kt39
KORDChicago O'Hare International Airport77.97.32598 kt39
KRZLJasper County Airport76.09.02496 kt39
KIKWJack Barstow Airport74.28.92375 kt39
KIKKGreater Kankakee Airport76.08.92527 kt39
KEAUChippewa Valley Regional Airport75.78.72496 kt40
KRFDChicago Rockford International Airport77.78.22587 kt40
KARTWatertown International Airport76.97.82356 kt40
KESCDelta County Airport74.79.12396 kt40
KOVSBoscobel Airport71.011.52544 kt40
KMSSMassena International Airport Richards Field76.99.12396 kt40
KHYXSaginaw County H.W. Browne Airport76.37.12427 kt40
KTTFCuster Airport74.98.12436 kt40
KLUMMenomonie Municipal Score Field76.08.02526 kt41
KELMElmira Corning Regional Airport72.98.72514 kt41
KLSELa Crosse Regional Airport76.86.22566 kt41
KDETColeman A. Young Municipal Airport78.16.42487 kt41
KPVBPlatteville Municipal Airport75.110.62437 kt41
KFLDFond du Lac County Airport77.77.72507 kt41
KSYRSyracuse Hancock International Airport78.76.22486 kt41
KMCXWhite County Airport76.28.42415 kt41
KVLLOakland Troy Airport76.37.32446 kt41
KONZGrosse Ile Municipal Airport76.87.02446 kt42
KRNHNew Richmond Regional Airport75.88.52536 kt43
KJOTJoliet Regional Airport76.28.12605 kt44
KDUHToledo Suburban Airport75.08.82464 kt44
KMNMMenominee–Marinette Twin County Airport77.18.42476 kt44
KCMYSparta Fort McCoy Airport76.67.42554 kt44
KPCZWaupaca Municipal Airport75.59.02525 kt44
KMLIQuad City International Airport79.77.02647 kt45
KBUUBurlington Municipal Airport74.810.02575 kt46
KPDCPrairie Du Chien Municipal Airport76.57.02594 kt47
KDSVDansville Municipal Airport79.84.02555 kt48
KOCQJ. Douglas Bake Memorial Airport76.39.22535 kt50

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

National rankings

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.