Storm Over Lake Erie

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

Watch for Updates Twice a Week

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Drucquers Banner

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Jaylotw

Lifer
Mar 13, 2020
1,062
4,063
NE Ohio
Last Thursday, my brother in Ashtabula texted me that the sky looked "Demonic" over the Lake. He wasn't wrong. This picture is from Fairport, where the storm packed 80 mile an hour wind. Glad I didn't get that...just some serious rain by the time this puppy made its way south to me. I miss the Lakeshore...
fairport harbor aprell burkey.jpg
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
I grew up not far from Lake Michigan, and the storms were dramatic, operatic. Now in the southeast, we get a lot of soaking rains that sort of slide slowly into place. Those Great Lake storms start with gales, progress to wind gusts, proceed through building cumulus clouds, and commence to thunderheads and lightning bolts for an hour, then climb back down the steps of intensity leaving a smell of wet soil and ozone behind. You don't have to go to the theater. You have all of the emotions right outside your window.
 

mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,429
7,374
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
Last Thursday, my brother in Ashtabula texted me that the sky looked "Demonic" over the Lake. He wasn't wrong. This picture is from Fairport, where the storm packed 80 mile an hour wind. Glad I didn't get that...just some serious rain by the time this puppy made its way south to me. I miss the Lakeshore...
View attachment 235396
That image reminds me of a scene in Ken Burns' documentary 'Dust Bowl' where an enormous 3-4 mile wide dust cloud was approaching some town out West....scary stuff.

Regards,

Jay.
 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,447
11,355
Maryland
postimg.cc
I had a restaurant location on the NY Thruway, about 10 miles South of Lake Ontario. One night, with nothing better to do, I drove up to the lake at the small town of Sodus Point. A giant storm rolled up and while I was smoking my pipe and scene went from bucolic to that kind of demonic, like a light switch. I've been to the Atlantic shores, and seen plenty of storms and even a few hurricanes. But that storm over Ontario scared the crap out of me. I took this picture, just before the storm hit. The water went from that level to about 1/4 way up the lighthouse. I got the heck out of dodge.

1690299259738.png
1690299285413.png
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Jaylotw and JOHN72

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
My most exciting weather event was riding out a typhoon in the South China Sea on a wooden-hulled round bottomed minesweeper.

Ships get sent to sea in hurricanes and typhoons because remaining in port is even more hazardous.

Our adventure was called a typhoon evasion, but I can't imagine we evaded much, but we did get through it.

The risky part for me was crawling out on the weather decks through a dogged door (latched at several points operated by a lever) and going up a ladder (steps) in what felt like standing under a waterfall, to carry a clipboard worn under my dungarees and raincoat to the bridge to the captain.

There's no center of gravity at all. Half the time, you are moving sideways through space.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jaylotw and JOHN72

Jaylotw

Lifer
Mar 13, 2020
1,062
4,063
NE Ohio
I had a restaurant location on the NY Thruway, about 10 miles South of Lake Ontario. One night, with nothing better to do, I drove up to the lake at the small town of Sodus Point. A giant storm rolled up and while I was smoking my pipe and scene went from bucolic to that kind of demonic, like a light switch. I've been to the Atlantic shores, and seen plenty of storms and even a few hurricanes. But that storm over Ontario scared the crap out of me. I took this picture, just before the storm hit. The water went from that level to about 1/4 way up the lighthouse. I got the heck out of dodge.
Yeah it's impressive how powerful the Lakes can become in a storm. People have a really bad habit of underestimating Lake Erie, and all of them really...it's exactly as you described, bucolic to demonic in an instant and terrifying.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kcghost

Jaylotw

Lifer
Mar 13, 2020
1,062
4,063
NE Ohio
My most exciting weather event was riding out a typhoon in the South China Sea on a wooden-hulled round bottomed minesweeper.

Ships get sent to sea in hurricanes and typhoons because remaining in port is even more hazardous.

Our adventure was called a typhoon evasion, but I can't imagine we evaded much, but we did get through it.

The risky part for me was crawling out on the weather decks through a dogged door (latched at several points operated by a lever) and going up a ladder (steps) in what felt like standing under a waterfall, to carry a clipboard worn under my dungarees and raincoat to the bridge to the captain.

There's no center of gravity at all. Half the time, you are moving sideways through space.
That sounds horrifying.

I had an old salt CG guy tell me that he'd take an Atlantic hurricane over a November storm on the Lakes because on the Lakes, the waves bounce off the shore and become confused...he described their shape as "30' Christmas trees coming from all directions," like making waves in a bathtub. No thanks.