One of the potential effects of the ongoing blizzard that bears watching is the impact it might have on Grant Park.
The park (and Bender Park in Oak Creek) is closed through Wednesday due to concerns about what potentially 16-foot waves could mean for flooding, erosion and any search and rescue efforts.
With that in mind, the National Weather Service has issued a lakeshore flood warning. From it:
PERSISTENT NORTHEAST GALES TO 40 KNOTS…WITH FREQUENT GUSTS TO 50 KNOTS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. THESE WINDS WILL PRODUCE WAVES OF 12 TO 16 FEET…AND WILL LINGER INTO WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THE WINDS WILL THEN TURN MORE NORTHWESTERLY.
THE FORCE OF THE LARGE WAVES WILL PUSH WATER OVER NEAR LAKE ROADWAYS…AS WELL AS CREATE FREEZING SPRAY THAT WILL COAT THEM WITH ICE. THE LARGE WAVES WILL ALSO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD SHORELINE EROSION…AND DAMAGE SHORELINE STRUCTURES IN UNPROTECTED AREAS.
THE PROLONGED INTENSE WAVE ACTION MAY BREAK UP SOME ICE COVERED AREAS…PUSHING THE ICE ONTO THE SHORE…CAUSING THE POTENTIAL FOR MORE DAMAGE.
Scary sounding stuff. I’ll keep you posted.
South Milwaukee Blog 