High Winds Could Cause Flooding and Erosion Problems along the Lake Huron Shoreline
A low-pressure system will move across Lake Huron later today (Monday April 20, 2020), bringing with it high winds. Winds are expected to strengthen and shift to the northwest overnight. Strong winds will persist through Tuesday before decreasing overnight and into Wednesday morning. Maximum sustained wind speeds of 40 km/hour, with gusts of up to 70 km/hr over Lake Huron are expected.
The strong winds, combined with seasonally record high water levels on Lake Huron, will result in higher than normal waves hitting shoreline areas. Shoreline conditions are expected to exceed those experienced during the April 10th wind event.
In addition to the potential flooding of low-lying coastal areas, continued erosion of the lakeshore bluff is expected. Saturated ground conditions, combined with high waves, will increase the possibility of bank failures. Residents and municipal officials are reminded to stay well back from breaking waves, and also to stay away from top-of-bluff areas during and after the storm, in case there has been any movement of the lake bank. It is important to remember that there may be a delay between erosion at the toe (bottom) of the bluff and subsequent bluff failure.
This message will remain in effect until 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday April 22, 2020, unless local conditions warrant further updates. Maitland Conservation will continue to monitor conditions and will provide an update if required.
Contact:
Stephen Jackson, Flood and Erosion Safety Services Coordinator
sjackson@mvca.on.ca
519-357-0890
Media Contact:
Jayne Thompson, Communications Coordinator
jthompson@mvca.on.ca
Cell: 519-357-6670