Hurricanes on the Great Lakes

Discussion board focusing on Great Lakes Shipping Question & Answer. From beginner to expert all posts are welcome.
ML

Re: Hurricanes on the Great Lakes

Unread post by ML »

In June of '72 I was a deckwatch on the August Ziesing. We were in Lake Huron heading for Conneaut. They told us that the remnants of Hurricane Agnes were coming into the lower lakes. We came through the rivers and anchored near Point Pelee for the day. It was unbelievably rough and we kept dragging our anchors. We had already tied down, battened down everything we could find. The skipper made the decision to pull up anchors that evening and we headed across the lake. i was on the 12-4 shift that night and I must say I wasn't the only one forward with my life jacket on. It was super stressful. I'd been in heavy weather before but shallow Lake Erie was a brute that night!
William Lafferty
Posts: 1491
Joined: March 13, 2010, 10:51 am

Re: Hurricanes on the Great Lakes

Unread post by William Lafferty »

On a warm, sunny Sunday afternoon in mid-September 2008 in a close suburb of Columbus, Ohio, I saw Hurricane Ike rip the roofs off three houses on my block and topple a massive, old oak tree onto another. Several trees were toppled on my block. Most houses in my neighborhood received roof damage, including my own. Power was out for the better part of a day for me, but for almost a week elsewhere in the area, mainly because AEP had sent power teams to the Galveston region to fix the problems caused there by Ike. In beautiful sunshine, the storm took the lives of three in Franklin County and another three elsewhere in Ohio. It was bizarre, to say the least.
Guest

Re: Hurricanes on the Great Lakes

Unread post by Guest »

On November 11, 1995 James Norris was pinned against the St. Lawrence Cement dolphin type dock at Ogden Point, Colborne, Ontario by SW 75 knot winds and 16 foot waves. Unable to break free to put to sea, she was battered and sank. She was raised and extensively repaired, resulting in her unique survivors signature of one (original as built) riveted side and one welded one.

Even today, when similar weather conditions threaten the Colborne dolphin dock area, ships currently on that run such as the Robert S. Pierson will occasionally run across the lake and anchor in the lee area of the Rochester embayment rather than risk being similarly pinned/battered.
Guest

Re: Hurricanes on the Great Lakes

Unread post by Guest »

How about Hurricane Hazel in October 1954 ? It was the deadliest one of that year and it's strength last unusually farth north into the GL area.
Guest

Re: Hurricanes on the Great Lakes

Unread post by Guest »

The Great Lakes have been affected by hurricanes, or more properly the remnants of hurricanes. By the time a hurricane reaches the Great Lakes, it's so far from its source of heat and moisture that it will be a tropical depression or remnant low. But that doesn't mean it can't have an impact - usually heavy rains (Hazel) and/or strong gusty winds (Sandy).

Hurricane Hazel was a prodigious rain producer by the time it moved along a cold front through the lower Great Lakes, by which time it was an extra-tropical cycle (meaning it has a warm and cold front and not a warm core, as in a tropical system.) Hazel, besides the heavy rainfall over the Toronto area produced winds of 40-70mph on Lake Ontario.

The remnant of Hurricane Agnes caused heavy rainfall over most of the Lower Lakes and Pennsylvania/New York, where Erie Lackawanna Railroad's mainlines in Eastern Pennsylvania were washed completely out in places.

Another hurricane that had an impact on the lower lakes was Hurricane Hugo in early September 1989. It caused the St. Lawrence Seaway to close for a couple of days due to high winds that knocked out power.

"Hurricane Huron" was a cut-off low in the upper atmosphere that developed a circulation over the Great Lakes, mainly due to the interaction of the warm lakes and unusually cold air in the upper atmosphere. It had an eye that was visible on satellite along with a warm core for a few hours, so that's why it's called "Hurricane Huron".

The Edmund Fitzgerald storm was an extra-tropical cyclone, and while it was intense and had strong violent winds, especially over Eastern Lake Superior and the Straits of Mackinaw area, it was never a true hurricane, except that it had "hurricane force" winds.

You can see a simulation of the Edmund Fitzgerald Storm at my website, http://www.goldenhorseshoewx.ca/case_st ... ector.html .
PDBLK25

Re: Hurricanes on the Great Lakes

Unread post by PDBLK25 »

I'm no Meteorologist, but the tremendous storm of November, 1913 has often been referred to as an "inland hurricane". In terms of damage done, ships wrecked & sunk, and sailors' lives lost; it certainly ranks up there. I remember reading that storm or hurricane warning flags would have been displayed, but no one on the lakes was issued them. Logic - such conditions could never exist on the Inland Seas.
pcolachap
Posts: 357
Joined: March 16, 2010, 2:03 pm

Re: Hurricanes on the Great Lakes

Unread post by pcolachap »

There were remnants of hurricanes that reached the Great Lakes.
In late June, 1972 what was left over of Hurricane Agnes effected the lower lakes. In NE Ohio there was major beach erosion. In PA & NY the storm resulted in damage to the Erie Lackawanna RR that lead to bankruptcy. In 1956 a late season tropical storm caused problems in Buffalo with the layup fleet and sunk the grocery boat which served the lay up vessels. The major considerations would be wind, waves and water levels. Look for a lee shore to anchor or to sail up that coast. Mike
Jared
Posts: 798
Joined: December 6, 2014, 4:51 pm

Re: Hurricanes on the Great Lakes

Unread post by Jared »

What did the ships do during Hurricane's Huron and Sandy? Pretty sure they tied up or anchored in sheltered waters. Ask what happened to the Cornell and the Hydrus when they tried to drop anchors in the middle of the lake.
A J

Re: Hurricanes on the Great Lakes

Unread post by A J »

Ok Mike, I'll chime in. Lake Michigan comes to mind for riding out a storm, just a gut feeling. The boat masters would most likely choose to go out and ride a storm of that magnitude always adjusting their position for the best ride into the wind, waves and seiche. A seiche being the result of the high wind pushing water the direction it blows, causing water levels to increase on the windward end and decrease on the leeward end. Riding out a storm would be better to boats and docks than would be to try and remain moored which can cause great damage to both.
garbear

Re: Hurricanes on the Great Lakes

Unread post by garbear »

I'm totally embarrassed. I said November 11. I was there. I know it was November 10. Like I've said before. The memory starts going in your mid-60's. Feel like a fool.
garbear

Re: Hurricanes on the Great Lakes

Unread post by garbear »

MikeCDN wrote:Just for the sake of discussion:

In the event of a hurricane - where would the safest place be to ride it out in the Great Lakes Region? I would prefer to be in a lighthouse because they're traditionally over-built.

Would ships masters go out on the water or tie up?

How did the lakes respond to Hurricane Hazel? Were there storm surges?

Hurricanes happen quite rarely in this region. However, we are not immune to them.

Discuss,

M.
Think November 11, 1975. 90 + mph winds. It was not pleasant. Couldn't stand up at the locks without standing back to back with 2 linehandlers as we were trying to tie up the Clarke.
MikeCDN

Hurricanes on the Great Lakes

Unread post by MikeCDN »

Just for the sake of discussion:

In the event of a hurricane - where would the safest place be to ride it out in the Great Lakes Region? I would prefer to be in a lighthouse because they're traditionally over-built.

Would ships masters go out on the water or tie up?

How did the lakes respond to Hurricane Hazel? Were there storm surges?

Hurricanes happen quite rarely in this region. However, we are not immune to them.

Discuss,

M.
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