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The November Witches Of The Great Lakes

November 1, 2019
By WeatherBug Meteorologists
They have been called many things - "November Gales", "White Hurricanes", and "Freshwater Furies." Whatever you call them, they are powerful Great Lakes storms, sometimes with hurricane-force winds, that feed off the relatively warm Great Lakes water. 

The season for these monsters is autumn, when cold, dry air starts to surge southward from Canada and converges with warm, moist air moving northward from the Gulf of Mexico. This is the initial spark that gets a storm system started. 

Then add a strong jet stream over the northern U.S., which helps intensify it further and steers it over the Great Lakes. Once over the Lakes, the relatively warm water adds the final ingredient to an explosive mixture, and a "Great Lakes Hurricane" is born. They can produce wind gusts greater than 100 mph, drop several inches of rain and snow, and produce record low barometric pressure readings. These killer storms happen with enough regularity that they are known as a bane for the people living along the Lakes, and a foe of the ships that cross them.

Since the mid-1800s there have been more than two dozen of these cyclones recorded in the Great Lakes, most of them in November, and many affecting the largest lake, Lake Superior. Here`s a brief list of some of the worst:

The 1905 Blow: Destroyed or damaged 29 vessels, killed three dozen seamen, and caused more than $3 million in damage along Lake Superior. Winds were estimated at 60 to 70 mph.

The Big Storm of 1913: Probably the worst storm on record, it affected all five Great Lakes. Thirteen ships sank and more than 240 men lost their lives, most of them on Lake Huron. Winds were estimated at 90 mph, with waves of more than 35 feet, along with whiteout snow squalls.

The Duluth Storm of 1967: This is also known as "Black Sunday" by locals. Three boys and their rescuer were killed after being swept off a pier. A rare fall tornado outbreak accompanied this storm, which also brought waves of more than 20 feet to Lake Superior and winds gusting more than 50 mph.

The November 1975 Storm: Probably the most infamous storm  - nicknamed the "Witch of November" - which caused the sinking of the Great Lakes freighter named The Edmund Fitzgerald. Here`s a brief history:

The Edmund Fitzgerald was launched in 1958, and at the time it was one of the largest ships operating. It had a capacity of 24,000 tons and measured 729 feet. On November 10, 1975, the ship was travelling on Lake Superior, en route to Zug Island, near Detroit. It had been fighting a massive fall storm since the day before with wind gusts of 100 mph and 35-foot waves. On the afternoon of the 10th, it reported an 86 mph wind gust and poor visibility due to heavy snow. With waves still upwards of 30 ft, the captain reported that the Edmund Fitzgerald was damaged and taking on water. The last communication was a report from the captain saying, "We are holding our own." A few minutes later it apparently sank without sending a distress signal. A search and rescue team was deployed but all that was found was some debris and life rafts. The ship and its crew of 29 men were lost. To this day, the ship sits broken in two at the bottom of Lake Superior.

Many theories abound as to what caused the freighter to sink - from a rogue wave bringing it down to a stress fracture in the hull - but what really happened may never be fully known. The wreck and its enduring legacy still bring the Great Lakes shipping community together each year on the anniversary of the sinking. 

Since the tragedy, safety regulations, and a healthy regard for Mother Nature`s power, have helped keep these storms from being the killers they once were. But even today these Freshwater Furies can wreak havoc across the region. 

In October 2010 the "Chi-clone of 2010" slammed the Great Lakes, and particularly Chicago, with winds of hurricane strength and record low pressure. Minnesota reported its lowest barometric pressure reading ever of 956 mb - equivalent to a category 3 hurricane. Waves of 25-35 ft were recorded on Lakes Superior and Michigan. Fifty-seven tornadoes were reported from Wisconsin to Virginia, and wind gusts topped 70 mph in Ohio. 

Once again, a Great Lakes storm brought a renewed respect for the power of these autumn monsters.