Lakeshore flooding puts parts of New Buffalo under water

By: Tom Coomes Facebook | Twitter
Posted: Apr 30, 2020 6:57 PM EDT
NOW: Lakeshore flooding puts parts of New Buffalo under water
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New Buffalo, MICH --- The city’s waterfront saw what may be the worst round of lakeshore flooding so far. Record high lake levels have left their toll along the shoreline over the past year. This round had the combination of wind, waves and added rain that swelled the Galien river, that also flows into the harbor. With more than an inch or rain over the past 48 hours the higher river flow is running right into a backlog of water being pushed into the harbor by Lake Michigan. 

Thursday morning an area of low pressure was over southern Lake Michigan. That brought the favorable northwest wind and waves into the harbor and similar to a hurricane ( a stronger low pressure center) it brought more water with it

Storm surge brings overall higher water levels, the wind brings the waves. NOAA / National Hurricane Center

The flooding was from the shoreline and breakers back into the inner harbor. Roads, parking lots were under water and the first floor of some structures were threatened.

This has been a focus of our Washed Away series and how local communities plan to deal with changing water levels, be if from heavy rain, river or lake flooding.

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