Swimming at Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach today
Empire, Michigan
Updated 4:00 AM EDT
What decides a swimming score
Before you swim
At 60°F the water is cold enough that unprotected swimmers risk cold-water shock.
Swim near a staffed lifeguard tower, and check the National Weather Service surf-zone forecast for the official rip-current outlook — we report conditions, we don't forecast rip currents.
Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach is also scored for
About Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach
Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach sits on Lake Michigan, where the water runs from about 36°F in February to 69°F in August.
The water here never averages above 70°F — even in August, the warmest month, it sits around 69°F. Most people wear a wetsuit.
Today it is 60°F. That is 1° above the October average of 59°F here.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach good for swimming today?
Poor for swimming — we score it 58 out of 100 today. The limiting factor is water temperature at 60°F.
What makes a good swimming day?
We weight water temperature (40%), surf calmness (25%), uv exposure (15%) and combine them into one score. Conditions we cannot read are left out rather than guessed.
When is the best time of year to swim at Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach?
The water here never averages above 70°F — even in August, the warmest month, it sits around 69°F. Most people wear a wetsuit.