Back-to-back days of severe weather brought widespread flooding across the Midwest – and even a tsunami on Lake Michigan. It wasn’t the typical kind of tsunami caused by seismic activity, but footage of the weather event showed how dangerous rising tides can be.
The event that transpired on the shores of Lake Michigan is known as a ” meteotsunami ,” which according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, are large waves driven by air-pressure disturbances that often come with severe thunderstorms and squalls. When the storm hits, it creates a large wave that moves toward the shore.
The Great Lakes are no stranger to these events. The Weather Channel said about 100 occur in the region every year, and this one appeared to be relatively small. According to the Detroit Free Press, Tuesday’s meteotsunami caused water levels to rise by 2 feet on beaches in the Michigan cities of Ludington and Holland.
A video posted by the city of Holland shows the water of Lake Michigan taking over a beach shore during heavy rain.