Winds, below freezing temps make St. Joseph pier dangerous

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. -- Wind speeds well over 20 mph and temperatures below freezing on the pier in St. Joseph make the light house look more like an ice sculpture and make for very dangerous conditions.

Powerful waves crashed into the lighthouse and icicles lined the pier.

Some say the waves are something special to see, just not in this weather.

"The waves just crash and its a beautiful sight but its very cold!" exclaimed Betty Potter, Berrien Springs resident.

Others say this is mild winter weather for Michigan, even along the pier.

"Oh no! It gets worse! It gets a lot worse, its been worse before!" said Benton Harbor resident Holly Fester.

The Coast Guard warns that with wind speeds over 20 mph along the water, it is very dangerous to be near the pier.

They say it does not take much for someone to get swept away, and with such extreme conditions, it's very likely.

If you must go outside, the Coast Guard recommends staying on low, flat land. The higher you go, the lower the temperatures and the stronger the winds.