Cleveland, Ohio – Boaters and swimmers along Lake Erie should be on alert Friday as conditions remain favorable for waterspout development and dangerous waves near Cleveland-area beaches through late tonight.
According to the National Weather Service in Cleveland, a Small Craft Advisory and Beach Hazards Statement are in effect until 6 p.m. Friday across the lake’s central basin. Wind gusts from 15 to 20 knots and waves up to 5 feet are creating hazardous conditions from Kelleys Island to Fairport Harbor. Waterspouts could form through late this morning and again late tonight, with winds and waves turning erratic around their presence.
Affected beaches include Lakeview Park, Edgewater Park, Huntington Beach, and Headlands Beach. Swimmers are urged to avoid piers and breakwalls, where rip currents may intensify. Boaters spotting a waterspout should steer at a 90-degree angle away from its path and never attempt to navigate through one.
Conditions may shift quickly throughout the day, and additional advisories could be issued depending on storm cell development offshore. Residents and visitors are advised to monitor updates via weather.gov/cle and stay off the lake during periods of heightened activity.
