Video shows a meteotsunami slamming Lake Michigan amid days of severe weather

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    MICHIGAN (WWJ) — Back-to-back days of severe weather brought widespread flooding across the Midwest – and even a tsunami on Lake Michigan. It wasn’t the typical kind of tsunami caused by seismic activity, but footage of the weather event showed how dangerous rising tides can be.

The event that transpired on the shores of Lake Michigan is known as a “meteotsunami,” which according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, are large waves driven by air-pressure disturbances that often come with severe thunderstorms and squalls. When the storm hits, it creates a large wave that moves toward the shore.

The Great Lakes are no stranger to these events. The Weather Channel said about 100 occur in the region every year, and this one appeared to be relatively small. According to the Detroit Free Press, Tuesday’s meteotsunami caused water levels to rise by 2 feet on beaches in the Michigan cities of Ludington and Holland.

A video posted by the city of Holland shows the water of Lake Michigan taking over a beach shore during heavy rain.

Unlike metotsunamis, which are triggered by atmospheric conditions, regular tsunamis are triggered by seismic activity and can get far larger and leave significantly more damage in their wake. Meteotsunamies have achieved heights of roughly 6 feet, with one in April 2018 unleashing an 8-foot wave in Lake Michigan, while tsunami waves can exceed 100 feet. However, identifying the event can be difficult.

“Identifying a meteotsunami is a challenge because its characteristics are almost indistinguishable from a seismic tsunami,” NOAA says. “It can also be confused with wind-driven storm surge or a seiche. These uncertainties make it difficult to predict a meteotsunami and warn the public of a potential event.”

The National Weather Service’s Grand Rapids station said on Tuesday that passing storms had brought “damaging winds and hail to the region” as well as strong wind gusts. The Midwest faced back-to-back weather extremes this month, with dangerously hot temperatures followed by days of rain and storms that left some emergency declarations and evacuations in nearby states.

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