Lake Michigan, 2017

Waterspouts in Lake Michigan, August 24, 2017

August 24, 2017 · NWS LOT · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Waterspouts were observed over southern Lake Michigan as cooler air moved over southern Lake Michigan causing instability and showers.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS LOT wrote it up.

Waterspouts were observed over southern Lake Michigan as cooler air moved over southern Lake Michigan causing instability and showers.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Chicago, IL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 24, 9:30 AM CST, 1 hour earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 24, 9:30 AM CST, 1 hour before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 24, 9:47 AM CST, 43 minutes before
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The radar

The Chicago radar (KLOT), 61 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:29 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 waterspout. Local standard time, as filed.

Waterspout, Wilmette Harbor to Michigan City in 5nm Offshore to Mid Lake

When
August 24, 10:30 AM CST to 10:32 AM CST
Where
Wilmette Harbor to Michigan City in 5nm Offshore to Mid Lake forecast zone, 3.77 mi NE of Harrison-Dever Crib
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
41.960, -87.520

Waterspout, Winthrop Harbor to Wilmette Harbor Il 5nm Offshore to Mid Lake

When
August 24, 10:35 AM CST to 10:37 AM CST
Where
Winthrop Harbor to Wilmette Harbor Il 5nm Offshore to Mid Lake forecast zone, 31.54 mi ENE of Wilmette Harbor
Reported by
NWS Employee
Coordinates
42.260, -87.120

What these are

Waterspout
A tornado over water. One that moves ashore is filed as a tornado from the coastline on.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Lake Michigan in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather history

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 721122, 721121.