CHICAGO — It seemed like just yesterday Chicagoans were basking in the sun and enjoying lunch on neighborhood patios.
Oh wait, it was.
Well, there was no sign of that glorious spring weather at Oak Street beach Tuesday morning. Instead, commuters and joggers again donned their hats and gloves. The cold weather gear may have saved them from the temperatures in the high 30s but it did nothing to save them from their more treacherous foe — gigantic waves splashing onto the Lakefront Trail.
Ridiculous waves on the Lakefront this morning #chicago #lakemichigan #lakeshoredrive
A video posted by Josh McGhee (@thevoiceofjosh) on
Those waves forced the National Weather Service to issue a flood advisory and warn of hazardous weather caused by strong northerly winds, which reached around 32 mph Tuesday.
The waves could reach up to 14 feet and were expected to be most damaging by the midmorning. They could overwhelm portions of the Lakefront Trail, the National Weather service warned.
The waves littered the trail with big chunks of ice and asphalt for cyclists and joggers alike to dodge. They also caught some travelers by surprise, sending them scurrying to higher ground.
Steve Moore, 62, was one of many commuters who didn't shy away from the monstrous waves and instead walked to work in damp clothing. While cycling down the Lakefront Trail from Rogers Park, he paused to take a picture of the scenery and was immediately drenched.
Steve Moore, 62, of Rogers Park, got drenched when he paused along the Lakefront for a picture Tuesday morning. DNAInfo/Josh McGhee
"I've been commuting for 15 years, and it's never came up here with that much volume," Moore said.
"I just love the lake in the tough weather," said Moore, adding that he always brings his camera for photo opportunities in dangerous weather.
While the waves weren't scary for him, he said, they did force him to take a detour from his normal route.
"Today, I'll have to cut it off at Ohio Street. It'll be impassable," he said.
According to a tweet by the Chicago Park District, high waves and wind made the stretch dangerous and impassable. Barricades were placed along the stretch as a safety precaution.
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