Spring flooding still a concern with Great Lakes water levels

Digital WritersThe Weather Network
Digital Writers

As we head into the spring, the Great Lakes could experience more flooding, shoreline erosion from potential high water levels.

The Great Lakes has had a history of high water levels in the spring, posing a significant threat for flooding and shoreline erosion. So, will they be a problem again this spring?

In the last 12 months, precipitation has been anywhere between 10-20 per cent below average. However, a lack of precipitation doesn't mean that the lake levels are going to drop in a "big way" immediately, says Weather Network meteorologist and Storm Hunter Mark Robinson.


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"It's not the overall level of water that's going to be the problem. It's those extreme events that can cause the damage. Even as water levels stay below the highs of 2020, the potential for flooding, waves and erosion of the shorelines remains," said Robinson.

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"Predicting the future of water levels in the lakes beyond spring is murky at best, but we can look to large-scale atmospheric patterns to get some idea of what may happen into the spring and summer," he added.

Watch the video above for the full story from Weather Network meteorologist and Storm Hunter Mark Robinson.