National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists are urging inexperienced mariners to stay out of the water at Lake Erie through Wednesday night as water levels drop dangerously low amid strong winds.
Newsweek reached out to NWS Cleveland and NWS Detroit by phone for comment.
Why It Matters
The NWS offices in Detroit, Michigan, and Cleveland, Ohio, issued an urgent low water advisory for sections of Lake Erie’s Michigan and Ohio waters on Tuesday in response to strong winds pushing water levels below critical safety thresholds. This warning comes as hazardous wave and wind conditions pose significant risks for mariners and small vessels.
Lake Erie and the wider Great Lakes region are popular for boating, fishing, and recreational activities. Sharp drops in water levels and wave-related hazards are known to result in hazardous navigating conditions, grounding incidents, and increased risk for boaters, especially in late season when beaches and lake access may remain open to recreational traffic.
What To Know
The low water advisories will remain in place through Wednesday night at 11 p.m. local time for both states.
In Michigan, the low water advisory is in place for Lake Erie from the Detroit River to North Cape. In Ohio, the low water advisory is in place for the open waters of Lake Erie from The Islands to Vermilion, Ohio; from Maumee Bay to Reno Beach, Ohio; and from Reno Beach to the Islands.
The advisories report that abnormally low water levels are expected, with water falling below the critical mark of -1 inch above low water datum starting late Tuesday and likely persisting through Wednesday.
The NWS warns that strong west and southwest winds are responsible for the sudden water level drops, creating dangerous shallow water navigation conditions. The alert calls for heightened caution from mariners, especially in shallow waters.
In addition to the low water advisories, small craft advisories are also in place.
Winds are forecast to reach sustained speeds up to 26 knots, or nearly 30 mph, with gusts as high as 40 knots, or 46 mph, in gale warning areas. Waves are expected in the 4 to 8 feet range, with the largest significant wave heights observed early Wednesday morning.
What People Are Saying
NWS Cleveland in a low water advisory: “Mariners should navigate shallow waters with extreme caution due to below normal water levels.”
The advisory added: “Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid navigating in hazardous conditions.”
What Happens Next
The warnings are set to remain in place until 11 p.m. local time on Wednesday night. Mariners and recreational boaters are strongly urged to alter plans to avoid these hazardous conditions, remain in port or seek safe harbor, and to secure vessels appropriately should they remain on or near Lake Erie during the period of the advisory. Any navigation in shallow waters should be conducted with extreme caution due to increased risk of grounding or collision with submerged hazards.
