Environment Canada’s Marine Forecast has issued a Strong Wind Warning for Western Lake Erie. Weather forecasts are calling for sustained winds from the south to southwest direction for Friday, September 21st. Wind speeds on Friday are currently expected to exceed 40 km/hour out of the southwest for most of the day (mid-morning to mid-afternoon) and wind gusts are forecasted to exceed 60 km/hour. The Marine Forecast is predicting waves on Lake Erie to reach 2 m in height Friday morning.

The strong winds will be driving waves 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 could see localized flooding due to waves crashing against shoreline protection works and spraying water up onto the land. Over the last few years, Erie Shore Drive in Chatham-Kent has experienced flooding when sustained wind speeds from a southerly direction (southeast through southwest) reach around 35 km/hour. The current forecast predicts that the wind speeds in the Erie Shore Drive area will remain above 35 km/hour for 14 hours on Friday. Residents along the Lake Erie shoreline should pay attention to weather forecasts and prepare accordingly.

People should take extra caution and avoid the shoreline should conditions get rough. The waves can be strong and the shoreline slippery. There could also be hazardous debris within the waves and water which could be thrown onto the shoreline. Standing water can also present unseen hazards. Children and pets 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 September 22, 2018.

Contact: Jason Wintermute ([email protected]) or Jason Homewood ([email protected]) regarding this message.