Ferocious winds whip up monster waves on Lake Erie, slamming New York’s shoreline - video goes viral

Ferocious winds battered the Lake Erie shoreline this week, creating a dramatic and unsettling sight across western New York. Parts of Buffalo flooded while water was pushed away from the lake’s western end, briefly exposing the lakebed. Meteorologists say the unusual event was driven entirely by extreme winds.

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What caused Lake Erie’s water to shift so dramatically?

Meteorologists say the phenomenon was a classic seiche, triggered by sustained and intense winds blowing across Lake Erie. On Monday, southwest winds of 35 to 45 mph, with gusts reaching up to 75 mph and later exceeding 80 mph, forced lake water eastward toward Buffalo, as per a report by The Independent.

Fox8 meteorologist Scott Sabol compared the effect to a household analogy, explaining, “It’s like sloshing the water in your bathtub.” He added, “The water will go from the west of the lake to the east part of the lake and will drastically change the height of the lake over a short period of time.”
“The levels then return to normal after the winds die down.”

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As the wind pressure built, water piled up on Buffalo’s shoreline while levels dropped sharply at the opposite end of the lake, as per a report by The Independent.

How severe were the water level changes?

The impact was striking. By about 12:30 pm on Monday, Lake Erie’s water level in Buffalo had risen more than six feet compared to early morning measurements around 4:30 am. Meanwhile, in Toledo, Ohio, lake levels dropped by roughly 13 feet.

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National Weather Service meteorologist Tom Niziol highlighted the scale of the shift, posting that “there is nearly an 8 foot difference now between the water level at Buffalo and Toledo, along the 225 mile stretch of Lake Erie."

What damage did the winds and waves cause?

The National Weather Service issued high wind warnings for Monday and Tuesday, cautioning that the conditions could bring down trees and power lines. A lakeshore flood warning was also issued as waves surged onto land, as per a report by The Independent.

Niziol shared footage showing wind-driven waves crashing onto the shoreline as people struggled to walk forward. “In all my years living up here in Buffalo, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it this bad along the Lakeshore,” he wrote.


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He later added, “We’ve had three hours of 80+ mph gusts here and with the temperature dropping, very heavy freezing spray is accumulating on all of the trees. Lots of damage.” Sabol noted that once winds weaken, “the levels then return to normal after the winds die down.”


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FAQs

What is a seiche?
A seiche is when strong winds push lake water to one side, flooding one end and draining the other.

Will Lake Erie stay at these levels?
No. Water levels typically return to normal once the winds subside.