Does Lake Erie Have Waves Like The Ocean?

Does Lake Erie Have Waves Like The Ocean?

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For me,

Lake Erie

is associated with something mystical and I always come to this Lake either to walk along the coast or

fishing.

Since childhood, I loved to be near the water and in the water.

I am fascinated by its incredible, wild power and strength, captivated by the graceful movement of the waves and mesmerized by the dance of light on the water.

I even moved to live close to the coast of the ocean to be closer to wild power.

Once I went to

Lake Erie

in November, at that time I did not know that it’s a month when you have to stay far from the lake.

 

Because from October till January, cold and windy days turn

Lake Erie

into a furious, wild and treacherous pool.

I saw such a scary episode on

Lake Erie

, it seemed that it was from a horror movie.

From my observations the strength of the waves at one point varied, and in some places of the lake the waves were too giant, like a tsunami was approaching the coast and in some places of the lake there were 3 waves in a row.

They are called “3 sister waves”.

But today I continue the topic

about Lake Erie

again and will answer these questions:

How are the waves formed in

Lake Erie

?

How high do waves get in

Lake Erie?

.

.

.

Does Lake Erie Have Waves Like The Ocean?

Yes, Lake Erie does get waves similar to an ocean, though on a smaller scale.

Lake Erie’s size, shallow depths, and exposure to strong winds allows for ocean-like wave conditions to frequently occur.

It experiences all the power and hazards of ocean waves, just on a somewhat reduced scale.

Here are a few key facts about the waves on Lake Erie:

 

  • Lake Erie is the shallowest of the Great Lakes, with an average depth of only 62 feet.

    This allows winds to more easily churn up the water into waves.

  • Being connected to the other Great Lakes and receiving major river inflows, Lake Erie has a very large fetch area over which wind can blow and generate waves.

  • The longest fetch on Lake Erie is about 240 miles, from Toledo, Ohio to Buffalo, New York.

    This allows large waves to build up over this distance.

  • During powerful storm events, wave heights on Lake Erie can reach over 10 feet, with maximum waves recorded over 25 feet.

    This is comparable to waves seen on coastal oceans.

  • The waves can have long wavelengths similar to ocean swell, again due to the very large fetch area.

  • Nearshore areas will have choppier, steeper waves than offshore due to the shallow depths.

    The biggest waves tend to occur in the main central and eastern basins.

  • Overall, while smaller than ocean waves, Lake Erie winds can whip up very sizable and dangerous waves, especially during fall and winter storm events.

    Respect for the power of the lake is warranted.

  • Lake Erie is 241 miles long and 57 miles wide.

  • The tribe that lived here called the lake “Cat” for its unpredictable and sometimes very dangerous character.

  • Since the lake is relatively shallow, its mood can change drastically in just a few minutes.

  • Fierce huge waves here arise quite unexpectedly.

 

Why Does Lake Erie Have Waves Like the Ocean?

It is believed that their appearance is the result of some powerful unknown processes in the depths of the lake.

But I believe it is because of a strong wind or because of very weak seismic waves.

Does Lake Erie Have Waves Like The Ocean?

Does Lake Erie Have Waves Like The Ocean?

The wind transfers some of its energy to the lake surface through friction, creating small waves.

When the gust increases, the water in this place resembles a seething cauldron: small waves merge with each other, forming large ones, everything will move at different speeds and collide.

Their energy is transmitted miles around, setting in motion more and more water molecules.

Approaching the coast, this mass will be ordered, taking the form of a swell – even ridges, divided into groups from 3 to 9 with small intervals of calm between them.

There are some wandering or as I call them “lonely”waves In Lake Erie.

There are lonely, giant crests, reaching 98 feet in height.

Their appearance is not associated with geophysical events, and therefore they arise suddenly and, as a rule, lead to fatal consequences for ships.

It is impossible to predict giant waves.

Another reason for strong waves can be very

weak seismic waves

with an oscillation period of about one second.

At the same time, when Lake Erie is covered with ice(what happens really rare) the characteristic peak in the seismogram disappears in the cold season and reappears when the ice melts.

How Big Are the Waves on Lake Erie?

It can be 90-98 feet waves.

They are called killer waves.

Killer waves reach a height of 98 feet in a matter of seconds and occur even in complete calm weather.

Then they disappear just as quickly, destroying everything in their path.

For centuries sailors have spoken of these gigantic waves.

However, oceanologists say waves of more than 90 feet simply cannot exist.

Now this phenomenon is being studied .

With the help of satellites ,scientists observe the surface

of the Great Lakes.

Only for 3 weeks of observations, the satellites recorded the result of about a dozen single waves.

Scientists cannot yet explain the phenomenon of wandering waves.

It is believed that their appearance is the result of some powerful unknown processes in the depths of the lake.

But my question is : From where do these waves get the power in order to destroy ships capable of withstanding an ocean storm?

Scientists have yet to unravel this phenomenon.

And paradoxically, space is much more studied than the

underwater world

.

How High Do Waves Get in Lake Erie?

It can be up to 90 feet waves.

Quite mystical is an obscure phenomenon when on the lakes, in completely calm weather, giant waves rise, with crushing force flying onto the shores.

This phenomenon is called

“three sisters.”

Scientific explanations say that the bottom of the lakes sometimes experiences sharp fluctuations.

It remains a mystery that, at the same time, the surrounding seismic stations do not record any tremors.

What is the Biggest Wave Ever Recorded on Lake Erie?

In November 2022, the huge wave 15 feet was recorded by locals.

At this time of the year, Erie looks more like a mighty ocean than a lake, and the waves here reach 10-20 feet.

Has Lake Erie Ever Had a Tsunami?

Yes.

It had an ice tsunami.

Incredible winds were recorded and the speed reached 74 mph.

They were so powerful that they caused a rare phenomenon – a tsunami of ice.

Really, an icy storm has turned the shores of Erie into scenes from disaster films.

In the US state of New York, giant pieces of ice washed up on the coast.

The wind with great force pushed the ice across

the Niagara River

straight into the lake, and out of it onto the shore.

In some places, the ice mountains exceeded 433 inches.

The tsunami simply demolished everything in its path: street poles, badly parked cars, trees.

There was so much ice that it even covered courtyards near houses that are located near the coast.

Fortunately, no one suffered from the rampant elements, but local residents assure that this has never happened before in their memory.

 

But a real tsunami can happen too because the lake itself is located in a seismically active zone.

The most famous are tsunamis, which occur as a result of earthquakes and spread in the open sea.

Nevertheless, lake tsunamis can be no less dangerous, especially if their shores are densely populated.

ABOUT ME

Born & raised amidst the gators and orange groves of Florida, I’ve waded through the Everglades and braved the dizzying heights of Orlando’s roller coasters.

About Us Jeff from TravelMagma

But FL is just the beginning of my adventures.

I’ve journeyed far and wide. Yet, it was the serene beauty of Japan that truly captured my heart.

I even wrote my own little
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But…

My 2nd book “Things I Wish I Knew Before Going to Japan” became a bestseller, a guide filled with wisdom:

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