How tall can waves get in the Great Lakes?

In contrast, wave heights on the Great Lakes are greatly limited. Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes, experiences the highest waves, topping out at about 30 feet. Marine forecasters at the National Weather Service office in Romeoville say the highest waves on Lake Michigan are 20-23 feet in height.



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“The waves hit you every three to five seconds in the Great Lakes, where in the ocean it might be 10 to 12 seconds between waves,” said Guy Meadows, a Michigan senior research scientist.

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The Great Lakes have been known to generate waves of more than 25 feet. They can sink lake freighters over 500 feet long when this happens. Lake Erie is booby-trapped with reefs, numerous sand bars and a wide range of waves and shallows. Some mariners have called it the world's most temperamental lake.

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In most cases, lakes are confined to smaller fetches which limit wave size, but the Great Lakes are large enough to produce frequent swells up to several metres. However, the highest ever recorded waves were 8.7 metres, outside of Marquette, Michigan, on Lake Superior.

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Consequently, the Great Lakes are considered to be non-tidal. Water levels in the Great Lakes have long-term, annual, and short-term variations. Long-term variations depend on precipitation and water storage over many years. Annual variations occur with the changing seasons.

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Lake sturgeons are the biggest fish in the Great Lakes.

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Tributes have poured in for Marcio Freire after the legendary Brazilian died while surfing the giant waves at Nazaré in Portugal.

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Lake Michigan The Great Lakes are all water bodies that swimmers should think twice about entering. Lake Michigan in particular is the roughest of the Great Lakes, and poses a major risk to those thinking of taking a dip. This body of water is often named the most dangerous lake in the United States.

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Lake Superior holds a massive volume of water because of its enormous inland basin and the hundreds of rivers that feed it.

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