“It was a series of atmospheric pressure waves that were generated over the Midwest and moved east northeast over Lake Michigan and had about a 12 millibar pressure change associated with them, so a very large pressure change in just a few minutes.”
What causes the waves on Lake Michigan?
When storm fronts move rapidly from across a large body of water such as Lake Michigan, air pressure changes and strong downbursts of wind can form one large wave or a series of large waves.
Why are the Lake Michigan waves so high?
The combination of the cooler temperatures, the warm lake and high winds are the cause of the waves, said Nathan Jeruzal, meteorologist at the Grand Rapids office. Temperatures from Muskegon to South Haven were in the mid-50s Saturday, according to the NWS.
What makes Lake Michigan so dangerous?
Roberts said the Great Lakes have strong structural and long shore currents which run parallel to the shore. Rip currents are dangerous, too. These form perpendicular to the shoreline and flow away from shore.
Why is Lake Michigan the deadliest lake?
The reason Lake Michigan has the most drownings among the Great Lakes is a combination of wind direction and tourism, said Jamie Racklyeft, the executive director of the Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium in Ann Arbor. The organization teaches people about water safety to decrease drownings.
Has Lake Michigan ever had a tsunami?
Eight people were killed after a large wave surged over the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago in 1954. Decades later, the wave was identified as a meteotsunami, according to the Chicago Tribune. The 2018 event produced a 6-foot wave. That’s considered a higher-end meteotsunami that happens about once a decade.
Could a tsunami happen in the Great Lakes?
“Meteotsunamis happen in every Great Lake and they can happen (roughly) 100 times per year,” said Eric Anderson, the study’s lead author and a scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.
How deep is Lake Michigan?
Approximately 118 miles wide and 307 miles long, Lake Michigan has more than 1,600 miles of shoreline. Averaging 279 feet in depth, the lake reaches 925 feet at its deepest point.
Does Lake Michigan have dolphins?
The truth: There are no whales, no dolphins or sharks, and no squid in the Great Lakes.
Will Lake Michigan rise with global warming?
Climate change is fueling more extreme Lake Michigan Water levels, along with stronger winds and heavier storms. These conditions exacerbate erosion, beach loss, and damage along the shore.
What is the biggest creature in Lake Michigan?
The biggest ever? The largest verified lake sturgeon on record was caught in Lake Michigan. It weighed 300 lbs. and was eight feet long.
Why you shouldn’t swim in Lake Michigan?
High Waves Can Knock Swimmers Down And Cause Stronger Rip Currents. In addition to dangerous currents, the strong winds around Lake Michigan can create deadly waves, possibly reaching up to 23 feet tall.
Is it OK to swim in Lake Michigan?
Swimming in Lake Michigan is an ‘ at your own risk’ activity. All beaches managed by Milwaukee County parks do NOT have lifeguards. For current water quality reports along Lake Michigan visit the Wisconsin Beach Health website for water-quality reports. Break the Grip of the Rip!
What is the scariest Great Lake?
Lake Michigan’s Rip Currents Can Drag Swimmers Away From Shore. Due to the configuration of Lake Michigan, powerful currents can form quickly, creating deadly circumstances for those nearby. Due to these longshore and rip currents, Lake Michigan is regarded as the most dangerous of the Great Lakes.
What’s the cleanest Great Lake?
Lake Superior
Watershed’s surface: 209,000 square kms. Lake Superior is the largest, cleanest, and wildest of all the Great Lakes.
What is the dirtiest Great Lake?
Lake Erie
The most polluted Great Lake is Lake Erie.
Are there piranha in the Great Lakes?
No. There are not piranhas in the Great Lakes. Every now and again there are reports of someone finding one or of people releasing piranhas into the lakes but there is not a breeding population. Red-bellied piranhas are from the Amazon River basin in South America.
Where is the deepest point of Lake Michigan?
Chippewa Basin
Lacey Mason of the Great Lakes Environmental Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan informed us that the deepest part of Lake Michigan is about 925 feet, and is located in the Chippewa Basin which is about 36 miles east of Forestville, Wisconsin on the Door Peninsula.
What is the largest wave recorded on Lake Michigan?
National Weather Service records for Lake Michigan only go back to 1981, Carlaw said. Since then, the highest recorded waves were in 2011 — at 23 feet high about 40 miles east of Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Has Lake Michigan ever had a hurricane?
Hurricanes here in the Great Lakes?? No way!” Of course you’d be right, no actual hurricane has ever been observed in Michigan under the true definition of a hurricane.
Are there sharks in the Great Lakes?
Sharks do not live in the Great Lakes, but many fishes are mostly drawn to this water body as their natural habitat.