The Great Lakes waters continue to heat up, and now some beaches are reporting almost 80deg water temperatures.

On July 26, 2016, Duck Lake State Park beach water was reported at 78deg. Duck Lake State Park Beach is on Lake Michigan just north of Muskegon.

Here are some other beach water temperatures along the Lake Michigan shoreline in west Michigan:

Orchard Beach State Park - 69deg

Ludington State Park - 76deg

Mears State Park at Pentwater - 76deg

Muskegon State Park - 73deg

P.J. Hoffmaster State Park - 73deg

Grand Haven State Park - 74deg

Holland State Park - 71deg

Saugatuck Oval Beach - 72deg

Look at the images above. The Great Lakes are warming up this summer. Lake Michigan is especially warm at the southern end and on the Michigan shoreline. The other side of Lake Michigan is quite different. The Wisconsin shoreline water temperatures are cooler due to a general westerly component to our winds. The west wind blows the warm surface water over to the east side of Lake Michigan, and pulls cooler water up from deeper water depths on the west side of Lake Michigan.

South Lake Michigan beaches are comfortable for swimming also. Michigan City, IN is reporting 75deg water. Oak Street Beach in downtown Chicago has a water temperature of 68deg right now. The Wilmette, IL beach water is 75deg. Waukegan, IL is reporting a water temperature of 57deg.

As you go north on the west side of Lake Michigan, water temperatures get cooler. Milwaukee is reporting 61deg at the beach.

Lake Huron has warmed to almost an average water temperature of 70deg. Saginaw Bay is mostly in the 76deg-78deg range.

Lake Superior beaches have warmer water than the past few years. Some people that swim in Lake Superior have commented the water is "warm". Right now some of the beaches on Lake Superior have water temperatures in the upper 60s.

Of course Lake Erie is warm, being the shallowest of the Great Lakes. Buffalo, NY has a water temperature of 77.5deg and Cleveland is reporting 75deg water at the beach.

Warm weather and the typically lighter winds of August could continue the warming of Great Lakes water. We may have many locations with a beach water temperature around 80deg in the next two weeks.

After that, the water temperatures will be getting cooler. So get out to your favorite Michigan beach while it is nice.