Seiche Confirmed on Tuesday on Lake Erie

A confirmed seiche condition occured during high winds on Tuesday that directly affected the water level in Erie harbor. A seiche occurs during sudden changes in lake levels because of winds; for example, a seiche could be if winds blew water from the south end of the lake to the northern end, and it remained there. In the case on Tuesday, water from the western basin of Lake Erie were blown east, toward Erie and Buffalo. At one point during the storm on Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, water levels near Toledo, Ohio were five feet below chart datum. On the eastern end, near Buffalo, water levels were reported to be 10 feet above the low water mark, and some waterfront streets in the city reportedly flooded.

In Erie harbor, broken ice in the channel was actually washed over the South Pier.

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The South Pier on Wednesday. Note how high the water is.


At the West Slip.