Lake Michigan levels expected to slowly drop in August

Lake Michigan has been running high all summer. Beaches that were smaller in size last summer have almost completely washed away and there's a even noticeable difference along Silver Beach between this year and last. And inland and beach flooding has continued down through the New Buffalo area as well.

At last check, the lake was just under 582 feet (at 581.96 feet to be exact), and that's pretty much been steady all of July. But, we're in pretty rare territory this summer. Lake Michigan missed the all-time June record by 1 inch and we are forecasted tie the July record this month at 581.99 feet! And we're only 4.32 inches away from the all-time Lake Michigan water level record of 582.35 feet, which was set back in October 1986.

The good news is levels should, very slowly, fall for the rest of the summer into fall. It'll only fall by 1 inch through august, and down another 2.5 inches through the month of September. By the winter season in late December, the water will fall about another half a foot, but will still be well above average for the end of the year.