Lake Superior, 2018

Marine Strong Wind in Lake Superior, August 30, 2018

August 30, 2018 · NWS DLH · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A family of five fell into Lake Superior when their kayak overturned in rough water. The father and three children tried swimming to shore but were found deceased due to hypothermia.

Where it happened

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The toll

Deaths
4
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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 DLH wrote it up.

A family of five fell into Lake Superior when their kayak overturned in rough water. The father and three children tried swimming to shore but were found deceased due to hypothermia. The mother was found alive with the kayak. Everyone was wearing life jackets. Waves were 1-3 feet.

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 Duluth, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 30, 11:36 AM CST, 2 hours 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 30, 11:36 AM CST, 2 hours 24 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 marine strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Marine Strong Wind, Sand Is to Bayfield Wi

When
August 30, 2:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Sand Is to Bayfield Wi forecast zone, 9.85 mi E of Bass Island Raws Station Apow3
Measured
13 kt (15 mph) estimated gust
Deaths
0 direct, 4 indirect
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
46.891, -90.543

A family of five (husband, wife, three children under the age of 10) set out on a kayak to tour the Apostle Islands at around 100 pm CDT. Wind and waves were nearly calm when the family set out from Madeline Island on a sit on top type of kayak. The winds picked up by 4 pm becoming east-southeast at 5-15 mph with waves building to 1-3 feet, causing the kayak to overturn, sending the family into the water. All occupants were wearing life jackets, however, water temperatures were around 60 degrees and they were not wearing wet suits. The father and children tried to swim to the nearest island while the mother remained with the boat. She had a cell phone and tried to text for help, but cell coverage was poor. A text message from the mother went through around 8:30 pm to her sister, who then contacted police. Search teams were deployed and the wife was found alive just after 10 pm. The father and two of the children were found deceased after midnight on the 31st and the third child was found deceased at about 10 am the same day. The cause of death of the father and children was hypothermia due to the 60 degree water.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Marine Strong Wind, Sand Is to Bayfield Wi2018-08-3039MaleIn WaterIndirect
Marine Strong Wind, Sand Is to Bayfield Wi2018-08-309FemaleIn WaterIndirect
Marine Strong Wind, Sand Is to Bayfield Wi2018-08-305FemaleIn WaterIndirect
Marine Strong Wind, Sand Is to Bayfield Wi2018-08-303MaleIn WaterIndirect

What these are

Marine Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds of 34 to 47 knots over water.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Lake Superior in 2018Every state in 2018This 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: 779859.