Lake Superior Braces for Potential Record-Breaking Waves Amid Incoming Storm

A powerful storm system is forecasted to generate waves on Lake Superior approaching 28 feet by Monday morning, potentially matching the highest recorded wave heights on the Great Lakes. The largest waves ever recorded on the Great Lakes were 28.8 feet, measured in Lake Superior between Marquette and Munising on October 24, 2017.

For comparison, National Weather Service models indicate that waves on the night the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in 1975 were in the range of 25 feet.

Measuring any record-breaking waves on Monday may be challenging, as many seasonal buoys have been removed, and the remaining buoys are located far from the area near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore where the waves are expected to peak.

Wave heights are expected to be high across all the Great Lakes as the storm intensifies from Sunday into Monday. Storm Warnings have been issued for Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, with Lake Superior's top waves potentially reaching 28 feet or more, and Lake Michigan's waves possibly exceeding 18 feet. Wind gusts could reach 58 mph over Lake Michigan and up to 70 mph over Lake Superior. Lake Huron currently has a Gale Watch, with wind gusts up to 54 mph forecasted and waves up to 26 feet.

Lake Erie may experience a seiche on Monday, a phenomenon where strong winds push the lake's water from one end to the other, similar to water sloshing in a bathtub. Gusts over Lake Erie could reach 70 mph, and waves could reach 17 feet.

Heavy freezing spray is also forecasted for the Great Lakes over the next several days. This spray can ice over freighters and other vessels, making travel dangerous. As the storm system moves through the Great Lakes, freighters not in port are expected to move closer to shore and into sheltered areas.