WEST MICHIGAN - One of the biggest weekends of the entire year for boating and beachgoers is upon us and the weather will be great! That said, there are hazards on Lake Michigan you need to be aware of if your plans take you that way. First, SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES are in effect for the entire lakeshore for boaters with wind speeds from the south at about 10 to 20, perhaps as high as 15 to 25 mph.
For beachgoers, a HIGH BEACH HAZARD risk exists north of Grand Haven through Muskegon and Oceana Counties. Swimming is not advised in these areas due to high wave action, possible rip currents, longshore currents, and structural currents along piers and jetties...especially on south sides of these structures. Waves will be in the area of 3 to 5 feet!
A MODERATE BEACH HAZARD risk exists from Saugatuck, through Holland to Grand Haven today with waves running about 2 to 4 feet and SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES also in effect. Again, rip currents, structural currents, and longshore currents are all possible. Caution should be exercised when swimming in these locations.
The safer places to swim in Lake Michigan today will be south of Saugatuck. South winds on the lake will only generate wave heights at about one to three feet there. We should also note that water temperatures are only in the upper 40s to near 50, so hypothermia can set in quickly if any time is spent in the water. Please be careful!
We expect wind speeds to stay strong on Tuesday as well, so make sure to check back for the updated forecast. Make sure to also pay specific attention at the beach to the color flags that are flying. Red flags mean no swimming, yellow flags mean exercise caution, and green flags are OK to swim.
Get the complete forecast at www.fox17online.com/weather.
