Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for the region and a gale warning for western Lake Erie, due to predicted high winds this afternoon through Wednesday afternoon.
Subsequently, the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority (LTVCA) has issued a flood watch for the shores of Lake Erie.
LTVCA officials say these strong winds are expected to be coming onshore at Lake Erie, generally from the south, specifically the southeast through southwest at various times.
“Sustained winds with speeds of over 45 km/h are expected to be reached by late this afternoon and last all the way through Wednesday morning,” stated Jason Wintermute, water management supervisor with the LTVCA, in a press release.
“Wind gusts are expected to reach 80 km/h at times. Environment Canada’s Marine Forecast is predicting wave heights to build to 2 m this evening and to around 3 m by midnight. Southerly 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.
Wintermute said vulnerable areas will likely see localized flooding due to waves crashing against shoreline protection works spraying water up onto the land.
“The predicted wind speeds and wave heights are similar to, or exceed, those that caused flooding earlier this year along Erie Shore Drive in Chatham-Kent,” he said.
“However, this wind event is expected to last substantially longer than any we have experienced so far this year. Residents along the Lake Erie shoreline should be prepared.”
Wintermute said people should take extra caution and avoid the shoreline.
“The waves can be strong and the shoreline slippery,” he said.
“There could also be hazardous debris within the waves and water. Standing water can also present its own unseen hazards. Children, pets and livestock should be kept away from the water.”
Officials will continue to monitor the situation and update this advisory if necessary.
– Photo credit: LTVCA
