Lake waves

[Barquito]

I am new to sailing on Lake Michigan. We are expecting 30mph winds from the NE gusting to 57mph for the next two days. I'm not even thinking about going out. However, looking at the forcast maps it looks like I wouldn't be very bad off on the Lower Michigan shore. It is bad toward the North. Is this just a forcast model thing or does the wave height actually decrease toward the Michigan shore with the whole width of the Lake for fetch?

[Barquito]

BTW, pitty the fool who is anywhere on Lake Superior (that is dark red Bad Mama Jama).

[tomandchris]

With 30 to +50 winds the fetch and waves really only add to the equation. You sure as hell do not want to be out there in this stuff....you do not have enough reef points...period.

With those types of winds it does not take that much fetch to make things interesting. Put the boat away for the winter...it is time.

[puddinlegs]

Northern Lake MI gets shallower... waves stack up... if the height doesn't wack you, the frequency certainly will even in lesser waves.