Please compare the new proposed/experimental version of the Open Waters Forecast with the current format. The modernized open waters forecast will be presented in a tabular form and open up the opportunity for inclusion of extra marine variables. The current version has a text format and includes the coded MAFOR/Maritime Forecast. These are some of the notable differences, but please compare the products below and provide comments with this survey.
NZUS99 KCLE 202106
GLFLET
Experimental Tabular Open Lake Forecast for Lake Erie
National Weather Service Cleveland OH
506 PM EDT Fri Mar 20 2026
Waves are the significant wave height - the average of the highest
1/3 of the wave spectrum. Occasional wave height is the average of
the highest 1/10 of the wave spectrum.
.SYNOPSIS...
LEZ162-163-210200-
Detroit River Lt. to Maumee Bay OH to Reno Beach OH beyond 5NM
offshoreline to US-Canadian border-
Reno Beach to The Islands OH beyond 5NM off shoreline to US-
Canadian border-
506 PM EDT Fri Mar 20 2026
.Tonight...
Weather.............Mostly cloudy.
Sfc winds...........Northwest 10 to 15 knots becoming north after
midnight.
100-ft winds........Northwest 15 to 20 knots becoming north after
midnight.
Sig waves...........2 to 4 feet.
.SATURDAY...
Weather.............Mostly cloudy.
Sfc winds...........Northeast 5 to 10 knots.
100-ft winds........Northeast 10 to 15 knots.
Sig waves...........2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...
Weather.............Mostly cloudy.
Sfc winds...........East 5 to 10 knots becoming south 10 to 15
knots after midnight.
100-ft winds........East 10 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to 20
knots after midnight.
Sig waves...........2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...
Weather.............Mostly cloudy, then chance of showers in the
afternoon.
Sfc winds...........West 10 to 15 knots.
100-ft winds........West 15 to 20 knots.
Sig waves...........2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...
Weather.............Mostly cloudy with chance of showers.
Sfc winds...........North 15 to 20 knots.
100-ft winds........North 20 to 25 knots.
Sig waves...........3 to 5 feet.
Ocnl waves..........Around 6 feet.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 5...
.MONDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 3 to 5 feet.
.TUESDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 3 to 5 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 3 to 5 feet.
$$
LEZ164>167-210200-
The Islands to Vermilion OH beyond 5 nm off shoreline to US-
Canadian border-
Vermilion to Avon Point OH beyond 5 nm off shoreline to US-
Canadian border-
Avon Point to Willowick OH beyond 5 nm off shoreline to US-
Canadian border-Willowick to Geneva-on-the-
Lake OH beyond 5NM off shoreline to US-Canadian border-
506 PM EDT Fri Mar 20 2026
.Tonight...
Weather.............Mostly cloudy.
Sfc winds...........Northwest 10 to 15 knots.
100-ft winds........Northwest 15 to 20 knots becoming north after
midnight.
Sig waves...........3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet after
midnight.
Ocnl waves..........Around 5 feet in the evening.
.SATURDAY...
Weather.............Mostly cloudy.
Sfc winds...........Northeast 5 to 10 knots.
100-ft winds........Northeast 10 to 15 knots.
Sig waves...........1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...
Weather.............Mostly cloudy.
Sfc winds...........East 5 to 10 knots becoming south 10 to 15
knots after midnight.
100-ft winds........East 10 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to 20
knots after midnight.
Sig waves...........2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY...
Weather.............Partly sunny with chance of showers.
Sfc winds...........Southwest 10 to 15 knots.
100-ft winds........Southwest 15 to 20 knots.
Sig waves...........2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...
Weather.............Mostly cloudy with chance of showers.
Sfc winds...........North 15 to 20 knots.
100-ft winds........North 20 to 25 knots.
Sig waves...........4 to 6 feet.
Ocnl waves..........Around 7 feet.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 5...
.MONDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 3 to 5 feet.
.TUESDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 3 to 5 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 3 to 5 feet.
$$
LEZ061-168-169-210200-
Ripley to Buffalo NY extending from 5NM off shoreline to US-
Canadian border-Geneva-on-the-
Lake to Conneaut OH beyond 5 nm off shoreline to US-
Canadian border-
Conneaut OH to Ripley NY beyond 5 nm off shoreline to US-
Canadian border-
506 PM EDT Fri Mar 20 2026
.Tonight...
Weather.............Mostly cloudy.
Sfc winds...........West 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest after
midnight.
100-ft winds........West 15 to 20 knots becoming northwest after
midnight.
Sig waves...........3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 4 feet after
midnight.
Ocnl waves..........Around 5 feet in the evening.
.SATURDAY...
Weather.............Mostly cloudy.
Sfc winds...........North 5 to 10 knots.
100-ft winds........North 10 to 15 knots.
Sig waves...........1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...
Weather.............Mostly cloudy.
Sfc winds...........Northeast 5 to 10 knots becoming south 10 to 15
knots after midnight.
100-ft winds........Northeast 10 to 15 knots becoming south 15 to
20 knots after midnight.
Sig waves...........1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY...
Weather.............Mostly cloudy with chance of showers, then
mostly cloudy with showers likely in the
afternoon.
Sfc winds...........Southwest 10 to 15 knots.
100-ft winds........Southwest 15 to 20 knots.
Sig waves...........2 to 4 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...
Weather.............Mostly cloudy with chance of showers.
Sfc winds...........North 10 to 15 knots.
100-ft winds........North 15 to 20 knots.
Sig waves...........2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet after
midnight.
Ocnl waves..........Around 5 feet.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 5...
.MONDAY...North winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 3 to 5 feet.
.TUESDAY...East winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 3 to 5 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...West winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 3 to 5 feet.
$$
|* MAFOR NOT GENERATED DUE TO FORMATTER ERRORS. *|
621
FZUS61 KCLE 201949
GLFLE
Open Lake Forecast for Lake Erie
National Weather Service Cleveland OH
349 PM EDT Fri Mar 20 2026
For waters beyond five nautical miles of shore on Lake Erie
Waves are the significant wave height - the average of the highest
1/3 of the wave spectrum. Occasional wave height is the average of
the highest 1/10 of the wave spectrum.
.SYNOPSIS...
Low pressure of 29.70 inches will pull a cold front south across
Lake Erie through early evening. High pressure of 30.10 inches
will build east across the Great Lakes on Saturday. A warm front
will lift back north Saturday night ahead of low pressure of 29.60
inches that will cross Lake Erie towards midday Sunday, pulling a
stronger cold front south across the lake. High pressure of 30.40
inches will build southeast from the northern Plains to the Mid-
Atlantic through early next week.
LEZ162-163-210230-
Detroit River Lt. to Maumee Bay OH to Reno Beach OH beyond 5NM
offshoreline to US-Canadian border-
Reno Beach to The Islands OH beyond 5NM off shoreline to US-
Canadian border-
349 PM EDT Fri Mar 20 2026
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northeast.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SATURDAY...Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots becoming east. Waves
1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. A chance
of showers in the afternoon. Waves 1 to 2 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...North winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of rain
showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northeast 5 to
15 knots. Waves 2 to 4 feet subsiding to 1 foot or less.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Waves 2 feet or less.
.WEDNESDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southeast. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
$$
LEZ164>167-210230-
The Islands to Vermilion OH beyond 5 nm off shoreline to US-
Canadian border-
Vermilion to Avon Point OH beyond 5 nm off shoreline to US-
Canadian border-
Avon Point to Willowick OH beyond 5 nm off shoreline to US-
Canadian border-Willowick to Geneva-on-the-
Lake OH beyond 5NM off shoreline to US-Canadian border-
349 PM EDT Fri Mar 20 2026
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming north. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...Northeast winds 10 knots or less. Waves 1 foot or
less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 5 to 15 knots becoming southwest.
Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots becoming north. A chance
of showers. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...North winds 15 to 20 knots. A chance of rain
showers. Waves 2 to 4 feet building to 3 to 5 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming northeast 5 to
15 knots. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...Southeast winds 5 to 15 knots becoming northwest 15 to
20 knots. Waves 2 feet or less building to 2 to 4 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...North winds 15 to 20 knots becoming southeast. Waves
2 to 4 feet.
$$
LEZ061-168-169-210230-
Ripley to Buffalo NY extending from 5NM off shoreline to US-
Canadian border-Geneva-on-the-
Lake to Conneaut OH beyond 5 nm off shoreline to US-
Canadian border-
Conneaut OH to Ripley NY beyond 5 nm off shoreline to US-
Canadian border-
349 PM EDT Fri Mar 20 2026
.TONIGHT...Northwest winds 5 to 15 knots becoming north. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
.SATURDAY...North winds 10 knots or less becoming northeast.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...East winds 10 knots or less becoming southwest.
Waves 1 foot or less.
.SUNDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 knots becoming northwest. A
chance of rain showers in the morning, then rain showers likely
in the afternoon. Waves 2 feet or less.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...North winds 10 to 15 knots. Rain showers likely
in the evening, then a chance of rain showers overnight. Waves
1 to 3 feet.
.MONDAY...North winds 5 to 15 knots. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
.TUESDAY...South winds 5 to 15 knots becoming west. Waves 1 foot
or less building to 1 to 3 feet.
.WEDNESDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots becoming east 5 to
15 knots. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
$$
LEZ161-210230-
MAFOR 2021/
ERIE WEST 1/3 11710 12810 11800 12100 12200. Waves 1 to 3 feet
subsiding to 1 foot or less tonight. Waves 1 foot or less
Saturday.
ERIE CENTRAL 1/3 11610 12810 12800 13100. Waves 2 to 4 feet
subsiding to 1 to 2 feet tonight. Waves 1 foot or less Saturday.
ERIE EAST 1/3 11600 12700 13800 12100. Waves 1 to 3 feet tonight.
Waves 1 foot or less Saturday.
$$
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