2) because its eastern shores are positioned favorably for current development, and it is a popular tourist destination (Fig. Most of these dangerous current incidents occur on Lake Michigan (Fig.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS) Great Lakes Current Incident Database (GLCID), the Great Lakes averages around 12 drowning fatalities per year related to dangerous currents. The currents that have most often claimed lives since 2002 are structural currents, rip currents, outlet currents, longshore currents, and channel currents. There are several dangerous currents that can cause a swimmer to struggle on the Great Lakes. The summary is usually posted by January each year, but delays may occur if there is difficulty in confirming incidents with authorities (pending final police reports, witness/survivor interviews, etc.).Īn Overview of Dangerous Currents on the Great Lakes (2002-2020) Dodson at NWS Northern Indiana Swim Season SummariesĮach swim season, which runs from roughly May 1st to October 15th each year, NWS Northern Indiana writes up a summary of the incidents that occurred that year. If you have any questions or concerns, email Ms. We accept incidents that occurred from 2002 to present. Any incidents submitted using the form will be sent to Megan Dodson for review before being entered in. To submit a current-related incident into the database, please use this form. To search the database for more detailed information, click here. Searching the Database & Reporting an Incident Thanks to a collaborative project between Michigan Sea Grant and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy's Coastal Management Program, the database is available online. Forecasts are now done at nearly all NWS Offices on the Great Lakes, and outreach has greatly improved as a result of the database. Once Dave retired in January 2011, he handed the task to Megan Dodson, who now maintains the database from NWS Northern Indiana. To learn about where, why, and when the currents developed, Dave started the Great Lakes Current Incident Database. One of the forecasters Dave Guenther (now retired) agreed to join the group, and get forecasts started on the Great Lakes. Eventually, they reached out to the National Weather Service in Marquette, Michigan to see if they could start a forecast on the Great Lakes to alert the public about dangerous waves and currents. In memory of Travis, the Brown Family started the Mackinac Water Safety Review team, which included Michigan Sea Grant, local law enforcement, and other members of the community. Prior to that incident, people didn't think rip currents could happen on the Great Lakes. In 1998, 12 year old Travis Brown drowned in a rip current at a Lake Michigan beach along US-2 in Mackinac County, Michigan. These beaches are all safe and fun to swim at, however beachgoers must remain alert to the changing weather and wave conditions and heed the advice of park patrol and lifeguards. For example: Porter County Indiana, which includes the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, recorded 30 current-related incidents between 2002-2020, however over 2 million people visit the Indiana Dunes park alone EACH YEAR! Similarly, Ottawa County in Michigan has seen more than 130 incidents over the years, however they also see around 2 million visitors per year at Holland State Park alone. It is important to realize that although there are many incidents that occur at these beaches, the number of incidents must be kept relative to how many people visit the beaches each year. Beachgoers and the water safety community need to understand how, why, where, and when dangerous currents form. The Great Lakes see millions of visitors per year at State Parks alone, most within a 3-4 month period in the summer. Victim demographics were also collected to improve beach safety outreach and education efforts. This research improves National Weather Service beach forecasts and beach hazards statements. Case studies were completed on 703 current-related incidents to learn about where and when dangerous currents form.
LAKE MICHIGAN SWIMMERS ITCH ARCHIVE
The National Weather Service in Northern Indiana maintains the Great Lakes Current Incident Database (GLCID), an 19 year archive of current-related incidents. Each summer there are an average of 12 fatalities and 23 rescues due to dangerous currents on the Great Lakes (10 year average).
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