Dangerous 9-foot waves expected in Lake Michigan, NWS warns

The National Weather Service Grand Rapids has issued a warning to Michigan residents and visitors to stay away from the local piers this weekend. Over the next few days, Lake Michigan is expected to form 9-foot waves that may pose a danger for sightseers.

The combination of the cooler temperatures, the warm lake and high winds are the cause of the waves, said Nathan Jeruzal, meteorologist at the Grand Rapids office.

Temperatures from Muskegon to South Haven were in the mid-50s Saturday, according to the NWS. Water temperatures in the region were in the high 60s as of Thursday, according to the Michigan Sea Grant website, a joint program of Michigan State University and the University of Michigan. The NWS predicted winds to be about 22-25 mph. 

With the height of the waves, there is a risk of drowning and injury for guests visiting the lake. Jeruzal said although people may be tempted to see the waves, the piers should be avoided at all costs to prevent such hazards.

"We're actually watching the webcam, the one especially from South Haven, where the waves are washing right over the piers, and what happens is people want to go out on the piers a lot of times to watch the waves, and they don't realize how dangerous it is."

After much cooler weekend temperatures, Michigan is expected to heat back up to the 70s by Tuesday. Until then, avoid those piers.