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Does Lake Michigan have tides like the ocean?

Do lakes such as our Great Lakes have tides? The answer is yes, our Great Lakes do have tides that occur twice each day, but they are much smaller in scale and barely noticeable unlike the ocean.



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The lakes have more coastline than the East and West coasts combined! While ocean waves are created by distant storm systems, waves on the Great Lakes are formed by localized winds.

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The smallest body of water in which lunar tides have been measured is Loch Ness in the UK, which is 37 kilometres long. Here, the tides have an amplitude of about 1.5 millimetres. Tides result from the small differences in the moon's gravitational attraction from place to place on Earth.

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Because while our lakes are Great, they're comparatively much smaller than oceans. And the gravitational pull isn't strong.

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But what is the tallest wave ever recorded on Lake Michigan? Records show that the highest wave recorded reached 23 feet. It came in September 2011 and was recorded by a buoy that has measured waves since 1981. The largest wave was taller than some houses!

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Lake Superior is the world's largest freshwater lake by area (31,700 mi2 /82,100 km2). It is also the coldest and deepest of the Great Lakes, with a maximum depth of 406 meters (1,332 feet). By most measures, it is the healthiest of all the Great Lakes.

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Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third-largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron.



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Parts of the Great Lakes typically freeze every winter.

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Exorheic, or open lakes drain into a river, or other body of water that ultimately drains into the ocean. Endorheic basins fall into the category of endorheic or closed lakes, wherein waters do not drain into the ocean, but are reduced by evaporation, and/or drain into the ground.

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Geology of Lake Inferior Lake Inferior is an underground lake that is located beneath Lake Superior. It is believed to be formed by a process known as karstification, which is the dissolution of limestone and dolomite rock. This process creates sinkholes, caves, and underground rivers and lakes.

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Which Great Lake is best for surfing? You will find waves in all five lakes. Lake Superior, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario are oriented in the same direction as most of the storms in the region, courtesy of the polar jet stream.

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