Beach Hazard Warning in Effect for Monroe County Through This Afternoon
Dangerous swim conditions from high waves and strong currents are expected along Monroe County’s Lake Erie shoreline through 5 p.m. Monday, capping a week of severe weather alerts across southeast Michigan.
MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN — The National Weather Service office in Detroit/Pontiac issued a Beach Hazards Statement for Monroe County on Monday, warning of dangerous swimming conditions along Lake Erie shorelines through 5:00 p.m. EDT on June 22.
High wave action and strong currents are creating a high swim risk throughout the day, according to the NWS. Officials warn that strong currents can pull swimmers into deep water and prevent them from returning to shore.
Week of Severe Weather Preceded Monday’s Hazard Alert
The beach hazard warning follows a week of severe weather activity across southeast Michigan. On June 17, the NWS issued a Flood Watch covering a broad swath of the region, including Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties, through 4:00 a.m. EDT on June 18.
A separate Flood Watch also covered Genesee, Lapeer, Saginaw, Sanilac, Shiawassee, St. Clair, and Tuscola counties during the same period. Both watches warned that widespread rainfall of up to 1 inch was expected, with localized areas potentially receiving 1 to 3 inches, much of it falling within a 3 to 4 hour window. The NWS indicated these conditions could lead to flash flooding, particularly in urban areas.
Excessive runoff posed a threat to rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations across the region, according to NWS officials.
Severe Thunderstorms Struck Multiple Counties on June 16
The day before the flood watches were issued, severe thunderstorms swept through several Michigan counties. The NWS issued multiple Severe Thunderstorm Warnings on June 16 beginning at 12:57 p.m. EDT, targeting Oakland County, where a storm near Milford moved northeast at 35 mph with 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-size hail.
That storm tracked toward Clarkston, Pontiac, West Bloomfield, Oxford, and Rochester, also affecting Rochester Hills, Keego Harbor, Lakeville, Waterford, Orchard Lake, Davisburg, Holly State Recreation Area, Commerce, Rose Center, and New Hudson, according to the NWS.
A subsequent warning issued at 1:10 p.m. EDT tracked a storm near Clarkston, also moving northeast at 30 mph, threatening Pontiac, Clarkston, Oxford, Ortonville, Rochester Hills, Keego Harbor, Waterford, Davisburg, Commerce, Lake Orion, Sylvan Lake, Auburn Hills, and Lake Angelus with 60 mph gusts and quarter-size hail.
By mid-afternoon on June 16, a separate storm system developed in the Bay City area. A warning issued at 3:49 p.m. EDT covered western Bay County, northwestern Saginaw County, and southeastern Midland County after a severe thunderstorm was detected near Midland moving northeast at 35 mph. The NWS warned that storm would affect Midland, Auburn, Kawkawlin, Linwood, and Pinconning, as well as Laporte, Crump, Gordonville, Poseyville, Willard, and Bay City State Recreation Area.
The NWS specifically advised people attending an event at Dow Diamond to seek safe shelter immediately as that storm approached.
By 4:07 p.m. EDT, an updated warning tracked the storm near Pinconning, moving north at 25 mph with 60 mph gusts, remaining primarily over rural areas of northeast Bay County.
Storms Also Hit Downriver Communities on June 14
Severe weather had also moved through the greater Detroit area on June 14. A storm located over Dearborn near Downtown Detroit at 12:02 p.m. EDT moved east at 40 mph, threatening Downtown Detroit, Dearborn, Wyandotte, Belle Isle, and Grosse Pointe with 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-size hail. The NWS also identified Whittaker, Melvindale, Gibraltar, New Boston, Rockwood, Harper Woods, Westland, Grosse Pointe Shores, Ecorse, and Grosse Pointe Woods as affected locations.
Additional warnings followed as the storm tracked east through Wayne County, with a 12:31 p.m. EDT alert covering Melvindale, Gibraltar, New Boston, Rockwood, Ecorse, Woodhaven, Lincoln Park, Grosse Pointe Park, Southgate, and Inkster. A final warning at 12:43 p.m. EDT identified a storm over Carleton moving east at 45 mph, targeting Taylor, Romulus, Flat Rock, Wyandotte, Trenton, Grosse Ile, Lincoln Park, Southgate, Allen Park, Woodhaven, Riverview, Ecorse, River Rouge, Gibraltar, Rockwood, Brownstown Township, Willow, and Waltz.
Residents planning to visit Lake Erie beaches in Monroe County on Monday are advised to stay out of the water until the Beach Hazards Statement expires at 5:00 p.m. EDT. For flood safety information, the NWS directs the public to weather.gov/safety/flood.
