Beware the Gales of November
Fall is a tumultuous time of year along Minnesota’s North Shore. We’re battered by huge, icy swells that pommel our shoreline. Every day is a gamble. Will the Gales of November make it impossible to take to the water? Or will the lake be still as a sheet of glass? Every year, Lake Superior sees about 30 inches of precipitation, most of which falls May through October. Over the years, we’ve had some truly incredible storms pass through the region, wreaking havoc, sinking ships and making the news.
The Minnesota Sea Grant has conducted extensive research into why, exactly, so many epic storms develop around Lake Superior. It all has to do with climate, and what is going on in the air above the big lake. The experts explain that “collisions between belts of low and high pressure from the Gulf of Mexico and Canada generate the region's wildest storms and blizzards.”
During November, the winds really start to pick up. This is caused by low-pressure systems passing over the lake, bringing on the Gales of November. During this time, wind speeds can easily reach 50 miles per hour, and gusts can exceed 100 mph. In Cook County, this natural phenomenon is a cause to celebrate.