LONDON, ONT -- A Gale warning is in effect for Western Lake Erie by Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority (LTVCA) on Sunday at noon.
LTVCA says there are strong southerly winds predicted Sunday evening into Monday morning with risks of shoreline damage and eroision along the Lake Erie Shoreline including the high bluffs.
Flooding along Erie Shore Drive in Chatham-Kent and a risk of flooding in other low-lying shoreline areas.
"Currently, winds are light to moderate across the region and generally from the southeast. Forecasts are predicting that winds will pick up this afternoon and switch to the south. Overnight, winds are predicted to switch to the southwest," LTVCA says in a release.
Down on Lake Erie, sustained wind speeds could reach 35 km/hr by early this evening. Winds are predicted to peak overnight.
Peak sustained wind speeds are predicted anywhere between 40 and 60 km/hr, with gusts between 65 and 90 km/hr says LTVCA.
Stong winds are predeicted to continue into Monday morning, then switching to the west before the afternoon.
Wave forecasts for Lake Erie are generally calling for waves over 1.5 m in height for most of this period with wave heights peaking at over 2 m in nearshore areas and 3 m on the open lake.
Due to high lake levels, there is a risk that wave action could damage shoreline protection works and cause erosion all along the Lake Erie shoreline in Chatham-Kent and Elgin County, including along the high bluff areas.
Residents and workers in the area should be prepared. There is also a risk of flooding in other low-lying shoreline areas along Lake Erie.
"People should take extra caution and avoid the shoreline should conditions get rough. The waves can be strong and the shoreline slippery. There could also be hazardous debris within the waves and water which could be thrown onto the shore. Standing water can also present unseen hazards. Children and animals should be kept away from the water," says LTVCA.
