Welcome to ScooterCam
ScooterCam is a real-time weather monitoring and sunset photography system watching over the Lake Michigan shoreline between South Haven and Saugatuck, Michigan. The cameras run all day, every day, capturing the sky, the water, and — when the conditions cooperate — some of the most spectacular sunsets in the Midwest.
This guide explains everything you see on the site in plain language. No technical background needed, but the Admin Guide is here if you’re so inclined.
The Live Cameras
Two cameras are running at the shoreline at all times:
Reolink TrackMix (PTZ): A pan-tilt-zoom camera that can rotate and zoom. During sunset season it automatically points toward the horizon at the right moment to catch the best light.
Reolink Duo 3 (Panoramic): A wide-angle camera that captures a broad sweep of the shoreline — the full picture from south to north. The view is also available split into left, center, and right segments.
The images refresh automatically every few minutes. You’ll see the timestamp on each image so you always know how current it is.
The Weather Station
A Tempest weather station at the shoreline feeds real-time conditions to the site. Here’s what each reading means:
| Reading | What it means |
|---|---|
| Temperature | Air temperature in degrees Fahrenheit at the shoreline. |
| Feels Like | What the temperature feels like on your skin, accounting for wind and humidity. |
| Humidity | Percentage of moisture in the air. High humidity on a warm day often produces hazy sunsets. |
| Wind Speed & Gust | Average wind speed and the highest gust in the last few minutes, in mph. |
| Wind Direction | Where the wind is coming from. A westerly wind comes off the lake. |
| Pressure | Atmospheric pressure in inches of mercury (inHg). Rising pressure usually means improving weather. |
| Rain Today | Total rainfall accumulated since midnight, in inches. |
| UV Index | Ultraviolet radiation level. 0–2 is low; 8+ is very high — sunscreen recommended. |
Weather Alert Banners
When significant weather is happening at the shoreline, a colored banner appears at the top of the page. These come directly from the weather station — they’re not forecast alerts, they reflect what’s actually occurring right now.
These alerts describe current conditions at the camera location, not necessarily at your location inland.
| Alert | What it means |
|---|---|
| ⚡ Lightning Detected | A lightning strike was detected within the last hour. The banner shows how many minutes ago and how many miles away. It clears automatically 60 minutes after the last strike. |
| 🌧 Rain | The station is measuring active rainfall. The banner shows how much has fallen in the last hour and today. |
| 🌨 Hail | The station is detecting hail — a separate event from rain, flagged specifically by the sensor. |
| 💨 High Wind | Wind gusts are at or above 25 mph. Shows current gust speed and direction. |
| 🌡 Freeze Warning | Air temperature at the shoreline is at or below 32°F. |
You can dismiss any alert by clicking the X. If you dismiss a lightning alert and a new strike occurs, it will reappear.
The Sunset Quality Score
Each afternoon, ScooterCam shows a score predicting how good tonight’s sunset is likely to be. The score is based on real weather data — not a general forecast.
| Score | What to expect |
|---|---|
| 85–100 Excellent | Strong color is very likely. Grab your camera and head to the beach. |
| 65–84 Good | Favorable conditions. A rewarding sunset is probable. |
| 45–64 Fair | Some color is possible. Worth watching, but not a sure thing. |
| 25–44 Poor | Limited color expected. Conditions are not ideal. |
| 0–24 Unlikely | Overcast or poor visibility. The sun will set, but color is unlikely. |
The score appears from noon until sunset. Outside that window, check back in the afternoon.
The Wind Rose
The wind rose is a circular diagram showing which directions the wind has been blowing from over the last 30 days. The longer a bar extends outward in a given direction, the more often the wind has come from that direction.
Colors show wind speed: pale blue is calm (0–5 mph), steel blue is a light breeze (5–15 mph), amber is moderate (15–25 mph), and coral is strong (25+ mph).
For Lake Michigan sunsets, easterly winds (E, NE) tend to bring cleaner, drier air from inland — which often means more vivid color. Westerly winds off the lake carry moisture that can produce a milky haze on the horizon.
The Pressure Trend
The pressure trend widget shows whether atmospheric pressure is rising or falling, based on the last 6 hours of readings from the weather station. This is one of the most reliable indicators of coming weather:
| Trend | What it often means |
|---|---|
| Rapidly Rising | Air mass is clearing quickly. Often signals excellent viewing ahead. |
| Rising | Conditions are improving. |
| Steady | No significant change expected soon. |
| Falling | Weather may be moving in. |
| Rapidly Falling | Significant weather approaching. Strong winds or storms possible. |
The 24-Hour Chart
The weather chart shows temperature and wind data over the past 24 hours. The coral line and shading shows temperature (left axis); the teal bars show wind gusts and the teal line shows average wind speed (right axis). Hover over any point to see exact values.
Timelapse Videos
Every 20 minutes, ScooterCam assembles a rolling timelapse covering the previous 4 hours of footage. Sunset timelapses are also archived after each evening for later viewing.
Videos are recorded in two formats: a standard version for most browsers and devices, and an H.264 version specifically optimized for iPhones and iPads.
Moon & Sun Information
The site shows today’s sunrise and sunset times, the current moon phase, moonrise and moonset times, and a sky arc diagram showing where the sun or moon is in its path across the sky right now.
On mornings when a nearly-full moon is setting over the lake between 5 and 9 AM, the site flags it as a notable moonset event worth waking up for — a rare and beautiful sight.
About ScooterCam
ScooterCam has been watching over this stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline for over a decade. It was built and is operated by a local resident who believes that everyone deserves access to these views, not just people lucky enough to be standing on the beach.
The site is updated continuously throughout the day and evening. During active storm events, the cameras and weather station continue to run so you can see conditions in real time.
ScooterCam is a labor of love. If you enjoy the site, share it with someone else who loves Lake Michigan.
