Environment Canada’s Marine Forecast has issued a Gale Warning for western Lake Erie due to predicted high winds this afternoon through Wednesday afternoon. Later this afternoon, sustained winds from the south are predicted at speeds between 35 km/hr and 45 km/hr, depending on the forecast. Through the evening and overnight, wind speeds are expected to rise, peaking in the early hours of Tuesday morning somewhere around 55 km/hr, with gust of around 80 km/hr. Sustained winds above 40 km/hr from the southwest are expected all day Tuesday, with the marine forecast suggesting they could reach 65 km/hr in the afternoon. Some forecasts suggest that the wind may switch to the west Tuesday evening, but winds speeds are not expected to drop until Wednesday afternoon. Environment Canada’s Marine Forecast is predicting wave heights to build to 1.5 m this evening, to 2 m by tomorrow morning and to 3 m by tomorrow evening.
While winds remain from the south and southwest, the waves will be driving onto our Lake Erie Shoreline in Chatham-Kent and Elgin County. There is a risk that wave action could damage shoreline protection works and cause shoreline erosion. Vulnerable areas will likely see localized flooding due to waves crashing against shoreline protection works spraying water up onto the land. The predicted wind speeds and wave heights are similar to, or exceed, those that caused flooding earlier this year along Erie Shore Drive in Chatham-Kent. Residents along the Lake Erie shoreline should be prepared.
People should take extra caution and avoid the shoreline. The waves can be strong and the shoreline slippery. There could also be hazardous debris within the waves and water. Standing water can also present its own unseen hazards. Children, pets and livestock should be kept away from the water.
Officials will continue to monitor the situation and update this advisory if necessary.
This message will be in effect until December 7th, 2017.
Contact: Jason Wintermute (519-354-7310 x227, [email protected]) regarding this message.