Multiple National Weather Service (NWS) forecast offices had issued beach hazards and coastal hazard statements as of early Thursday, warning of life‑threatening waves, strong rip currents, and the potential for piers to be heavily swamped.
The alerts covered portions of Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Why It Matters
The NWS warned that the combination of high waves, onshore winds and strong currents would create hazardous and potentially life‑threatening swimming conditions along shorelines.
Several bulletins said high waves could sweep people off piers and that strong currents could pull swimmers into deep water.
What To Know
In Wisconsin, the NWS said “life threatening waves of three to seven feet and dangerous currents are expected” for Sheboygan, Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties, with the beach hazards statement remaining in effect from noon CDT Thursday through Friday morning.
“Stay out of the water and away from dangerous areas like piers and breakwalls,” the alert said. “Strong structural and longshore currents are expected. Rip currents are possible.”
Beaches along Lake Michigan in Manitowoc County were also warned that high waves and dangerous currents were expected, particularly Point Beach, Neshotah Beach and Red Arrow Beach, in an alert in force through late Thursday.
The Grand Rapids office covered Mason, Oceana, Muskegon, Ottawa, Allegan and Van Buren counties in Michigan, saying “high wave action, strong currents, and dangerous swimming conditions [were] expected” from Thursday morning through Friday morning and that piers may be heavily swamped by waves.
The Northern Indiana NWS office reported that waves building to three to six feet were expected by late Thursday afternoon, warning that waves could swamp piers in Northern La Porte County, Indiana, and Northern and Southern Berrien Counties in Michigan.
“Strong currents can pull swimmers into deeper water and high waves can sweep people off piers,” the agency cautioned.
In Illinois, an alert in place for Northern and Central Cook County from Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon said waves up to eight feet were expected and that swimming conditions would be “life-threatening, especially for inexperienced swimmers.”
Lake Michigan beaches in Porter and Lake Counties, Indiana were warned of waves up to seven feet and not to venture onto shoreline structures.
Minnesota Park Point and Wisconsin point beaches were also under alert, with the NWS cautioning that dangerous swimming conditions were expected along the Lake Superior shoreline due to high waves and strong rip currents.
Additional alerts covered parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York locales along Lake Erie and encompassed areas around Cleveland, Erie, and Buffalo.
What People Are Saying
The National Weather Service forecast office, Chicago, Illinois said on X, Wednesday: “Heads up! Another cold front will rip down the lake tomorrow causing winds and waves to quickly increase. Conditions will be dangerous to boaters and swimmers alike through at least Friday morning. Stay dry when waves are high!”
NWS Milwaukee said on X, Wednesday: “Stay out of the water at Lake MI beaches from Thursday afternoon into Friday AM due to dangerous swimming conditions. High waves will develop on persistent northeast winds during this time. Dangerous water currents are expected to develop.”
What Happens Next
The NWS issues forecast updates regularly on its website.
The post Millions of Americans Warned to Stay Out of the Water in Eight States appeared first on Newsweek.
