Beach Hazard Warning Issued for Lake Michigan
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued beach hazard statements for the Lake Michigan shoreline in Wisconsin and Illinois. The warnings, which affect over 5 million people, caution against entering the water due to life-threatening rip currents and waves reaching 3 to 6 feet (0.9 to 1.8 meters). The Chicago alert is in effect from Thursday night through Friday afternoon, while Milwaukee's warning covers Friday morning to Friday afternoon. Dangerous swimming conditions are expected to persist into early next week. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project reports that Lake Michigan has accounted for 41 of the 73 drownings in the Great Lakes this year, underscoring the risks posed by these hazardous conditions.