National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Overview

Winter came early for much of the Northland in late October; the 27th. Some areas received upwards of a foot of snow while other areas received very little. The Lake Superior shoreline was heavily damaged by relentless waves caused by strong off lakes winds that gusted over 50 mph for many hours.

The Devil's Island lighthouse at the Apostle Islands recorded a wind gust of 68 mph around 11 am, but wind had been building and gusting over 40 mph since late the previuos evening. The UMD buoy on the western tip of Lake Superior recorded a peak wind gust of 43 mph with steady winds of 35 to 40 mph overnight and most of the following day, Friday, October 27th. The buoy recorded waves of 10 to 16 feet.  The weather monitoring equipment at the Mcquade safe harbor recorded a peak wind of 45 mph.

The winds and subsequent waves and high surf caused portions of the lake walk in Duluth to get torn up and strewn with rocks and debris. Damage also occurred along both the north shore and south shore of Lake Superior. More information on this damage will be added.

Click on each photo for a larger view:

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Snowfall in inches
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Waves at Black Beach in Silver Bay, MN
Photo by Dennis Fawver

Lake Superior waves at Two Harbors, MN
Photo by Theresa Kocka

Duluth, MN, Stoney Point
Photo by Greg Johnson

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High waves and surf flooded parts of Canal Park in Duluth
Photo by Dawn Karlon

Crashing waves tore up portions of the lakewalk in Duluth
Photo by Karie McWherter Simpson

These rocks were deposited on the bench by huge waves
Photo by Andy Paasch

 

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Erosion from the waves along Duluth's lake walk
Photo by Ken Slatten

Duluth's Canal Park strewn with debris
Photo by Ken Slatten

Damage to Duluth's lake walk
Photo by Greg Johnson

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High waves and surf flooded parts of Grand Marais, MN
Photo by Sarah Holt Stover

Erosion of road along Lake Superior in Herbster, WI
Photo by Dennis Fawver

Near McQuade Harbor; North Shore
Photo by Justin Peck

 

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U. S. Hwy 2, Ashland, WI
Photo by Gary Jackson

Ashland, WI
Photo by Gary Jackson

Ashland, WI
Photo by Gary Jackson

 

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Bayfield, WI
Photo by Gary Jackson

Bayfield, WI
Photo by Gary Jackson

Bayfield, WI
Photo by Gary Jackson

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