Thunderstorm-Created Waves Cause Damage to Properties on Gold Coast Shore?

4/13/2022 (Permalink)

We respond to storm damage emergencies 24-hours a day in Chicago.

Our local team in Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, and Lakeview responds to many forms of storm damage each year. While Illinois residents will never have to worry about being hit by a tsunami, properties along the Lake Michigan coast may be endangered by a seiche.

What is a seiche?

According to the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS), unlike tsunamis that are caused by earthquakes, coastal landslides, or a meteor striking the ocean, a seich is caused by air pressure and wind. The ISGS describes the formation of seiches as follows:

1.     A storm front moves over a large body of water, like Lake Michigan

2.     The storm brings air pressure changes and strong downbursts of wind, causing one or sometimes a series of seiches to form

The largest recorded seiche struck Chicago’s lakeshore at 9:30 am on June 26, 1954. It approached from the southeast and hit the entire Illinois coast with a wave two to four feet high. The seiche continued to swell as it moved towards the North Avenue pier, reaching ten feet in height. Fishermen on the North Avenue pier and piers to the north at the entrance of Montrose Harbor were swept into the lake.

Call Us!

When your Gold Coast home or commercial business has storm damage, our local team in Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, and Lakeview will restore the damage, “Like it never even happened.” Call us today at 773-935-6750.

Franchises are independently owned and operated.