'Life-threatening' swim conditions occurring on Lake Michigan, including Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, Sheboygan and Manitowoc counties

Joe Taschler, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·2 min read
Forecasters are warning of life-threatening waves and currents on Lake Michigan on Tuesday and urging people to stay out of the water.
Forecasters are warning of life-threatening waves and currents on Lake Michigan on Tuesday and urging people to stay out of the water.

Dangerous swimming conditions are occurring along Lake Michigan beaches in Wisconsin on Tuesday and forecasters are warning people to stay out of the water.

The National Weather Service in Sullivan says the conditions are "life-threatening," and even though the high temperature in Milwaukee is forecast to be a muggy 85 degrees on Tuesday, cooling off in the lake should not be an option for anyone.

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The dangerous swim conditions are occurring along Wisconsin's entire Lake Michigan shoreline, from Door County to Kenosha County.

"Life-threatening waves of 2 to 5 feet and dangerous currents are expected," on Tuesday along Lake Michigan beaches in Sheboygan, Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties, the weather service said in a statement.

To the north, waves of 4 to 7 feet are expected for shoreline areas in Door, Kewaunee and Manitowoc counties where dangerous swim conditions are also occurring.

High waves and strong currents will make for dangerous swimming conditions on Lake Michigan on Tuesday.
High waves and strong currents will make for dangerous swimming conditions on Lake Michigan on Tuesday.

Strong winds are causing the risky swim conditions along the lake, said Kevin Wagner, a weather service meteorologist in Sullivan.

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"We've been having persistent southerly winds ... enough wind crashing into the lakeshore to create rip current potential," Wagner said. "We're just seeing these persistent gusty winds that are coming onshore."

The weather service says piers and break walls are also dangerous in such conditions and should be avoided on Tuesday.

Storms possible; some could be severe in Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha

Thunderstorms are expected to develop across far southeastern Wisconsin on Tuesday afternoon into this evening and a few of the storms could turn severe, according to the weather service.

The primary severe risks are quarter-size hail and wind gusts of 60 mph or greater.

Far southeast Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee metro area, is in the marginal -- 1 out of a scale of 5 -- risk for severe storms on Tuesday afternoon into the evening. Cloud cover is likely to limit the severe storm potential.
Far southeast Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee metro area, is in the marginal -- 1 out of a scale of 5 -- risk for severe storms on Tuesday afternoon into the evening. Cloud cover is likely to limit the severe storm potential.

Whether storms become severe depends on whether the right conditions come together, Wagner said. Thick cloud cover over Wisconsin may prevent storms from turning severe.

"We really need sunlight to heat things up," in order for severe storms to fire up, Wagner said.

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Contact Joe Taschler at (414) 224-2554 or jtaschler@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeTaschler or Facebook at facebook.com/joe.taschler.1.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 'Life-threatening' swim conditions occurring on Lake Michigan beaches