Warning Issued Along Every Great Lake Again. How Rare Is That? - Newsweek
The National Weather Service (NWS) office has once again issued beach hazards statements for every Great Lake on Monday as beaches remain popular for those hoping to enjoy the shoulder season before fall officially sets in. Experts told Newsweek why they aren't typical in summer months.
The slew of alerts comes only a few weeks after something similar occurred earlier this month, when the NWS issued beach hazards statements for roughly 1 million people living near the five Great Lakes: Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario, which President Donald Trump said via executive order is now called Lake America. At the time, people were warned of dangerous currents and large waves and urged to stay out of the water.
Once again, warnings were in place for each of the Great Lakes on Monday morning, but this time well over 8 million people were affected.
As of 10:30 a.m. Eastern time, NWS offices issued beach hazards statements for parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York, warning people to stay out of the water because of dangerous waves and currents.
The warnings were issued in Duluth, Minnesota; northwestern Wisconsin; Michigan's Upper Peninsula; nearly Wisconsin's entire Lake Michigan shoreline; northeastern Illinois; northwestern Indiana; northeastern Michigan; northern Ohio; northwestern Pennsylvania; and nearly New York's entire Lake Ontario shoreline.
Many of the alerts are in place through Wednesday afternoon or evening, though some are set to expire earlier. While the beach hazards statements remain active, NWS meteorologists urged people to stay out of the water.
"Life-threatening waves and rip currents are expected. Stay out of the water and stay away from dangerous areas like piers and breakwalls," the NWS office in Duluth said.
"Wind and wave action will cause currents on the lakeshore," NWS Cleveland said. "Swimmers should not enter the water. Currents can carry swimmers away from shore through a sand bar and along structures extending out into the lake."
While not typical during the summer months, NWS Weather Prediction Center meteorologist Bryan Jackson told Newsweek that widespread beach hazards statements can be issued as cooler air moves in during the shoulder season.
"This is the time of year that you get more notable cold fronts," Jackson said, adding that a Canadian high-pressure system set up north of the Great Lakes was contributing to the dangerous waves and currents. "There's a good pressure gradient up there, and it's still been warm, so people are wanting to go to the beach."
During the winter, strong cold fronts contribute to lake effect snow and strong winds, as well as ice buildup on the lakes. The current beach hazards statements in place were issued because of a prolonged wind spawned by the high-pressure system to the north.
"Generally speaking, you wouldn't get this strong of wind during the summer, so now that we're heading into fall, this is part of that transition into the cooler season," Jackson told Newsweek.
Although rip currents and dangerous waves are more commonly associated with ocean beaches, the Great Lakes can also be affected. There have been 73 drownings so far this year in the Great Lakes, according to data from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (GLSRP). Of those, 41 have occurred at Lake Michigan.
The warnings are especially important because after Labor Day, lifeguards do not staff Great Lakes beaches, GLSRP executive director Dave Benjamin previously told Newsweek.
A rip current is a fast-moving channel of water that runs perpendicular to the shoreline.
If caught in a rip current, people are urged not to panic.
The current will not pull swimmers under. It could, however, carry them further away from shore.
To escape the current, swimmers should swim parallel to the shoreline and then angle back to shore once out of the current's grip. If they become tired, float and wave for help.
Some beach hazard statements will expire on Monday afternoon, whereas others will remain in place for days. People living near or visiting the impacted shorelines should follow guidance from their local weather office and be cautious if they decide to enter the water while the alerts are in place.
Looking forward, Jackson said that the Mid-Atlantic region also will be an area of concern as far as beach safety, as a low-pressure system is currently strengthening off the Mid-Atlantic coast. High tides and beach erosion will be a concern over the next few days, he said.
Newsweekβs reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Gray R. Thomas
