A Tsunami In Lake Michigan? It’s More Likely Than You Think

I have always been fascinated by severe weather, and I think that's partly because Michigan is in a bit of a severe weather bubble. Sure, we can get blizzards and have gnarly storms here and there, but ultimately, we don't need to worry about hurricanes, extreme tornadoes, or earthquakes.

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However, Michigan needs to be on guard against one type of disaster. One that sounds like it would be the least of our concerns but is actually more common than you think: tsunamis.

⬇️WITNESS THE POWER OF LAKE SUPERIOR⬇️

Earthquake Free Zone?

The tsunamis that many people are familiar with are caused by Earthquakes. Honshu, Japan was in the news in 2011 for a massive 9.0 earthquake that created a tsunami that continued the devastation, destroying the city. However, as you can see in the map below, Michigan is not near 0% risk of earthquakes, so how is it that Michigan needs to worry about tsunamis?

READ MORE: Michigan's Hidden Earthquake Risk: What Residents Need To Know |

Meteotsunami

According to the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR), tsunamis are a very common occurrence in the Great Lakes, with the only difference being that our tsunamis, called Meteotsunami, are caused by "weather events" instead of earthquakes. Strong storms can create strong winds, and in turn, create dangerous waves. These types of tsunami events happen an average of 106 times a year. 

These storms are not to be taken lightly. CIGLR cites multiple instances of these waves causing catastrophes like in 1929 when a 20-foot wave killed 10 people after they were swept off a pier, and in 1998 when a tug boat was capsized by the waves.