Autumn can bring some of the strongest storm systems of the year to the Great Lakes region. These storms often produce powerful winds, heavy rainfall, winter weather, and severe conditions. Today marks the 49th anniversary of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, a ship that encountered one such storm while traversing Lake Superior on its way to Detroit, Michigan, loaded with 26,116 tons of iron ore. We will examine the weather conditions associated with this historic and tragic event.
On November 9th at 7 PM, a strong low-pressure system with a pressure of 996 mb was already moving across the eastern regions of Iowa. Overnight, this low-pressure area continued to advance to the north-northeast. By 7 AM the following morning (November 10th, 1975), the powerful low-pressure system was situated over the eastern parts of Lake Superior. During this 12-hour period, the surface pressure at the center of the low dropped dramatically by 14 mb, reaching 982 mb. Throughout the day, the low continued to intensify, with pressure decreasing further to 978 mb as it traversed Ontario, Canada.
On November 10, 1975, the winds across Lake Superior initially came from the north-northwest at 20 knots, weakening to below 20 knots at the ship's location by 10 a.m. The Edmund Fitzgerald's chosen route along the northern side of the lake was strategic, as it allowed the expected strong winds to have less time over water, resulting in smaller waves for the ship to encounter. However, later that afternoon and into the evening, the ship entered the eastern waters of Lake Superior, and that is when the problems truly began.
As the surface low moved away, the winds not only intensified but also changed direction. By 4 PM, the winds had shifted from north-northwest to west-northwest, reaching speeds of up to 40 knots. This shift meant that the strong winds were now affecting a larger area of the lake before reaching the ship's position, resulting in increased wave heights.
As the ship continued its journey toward the safety of Whitefish Bay in southeastern Lake Superior, conditions rapidly deteriorated. Around 6:30 PM, the captain of the Edmund Fitzgerald communicated with nearby vessels that they were listing severely and taking heavy seas over the deck.
( Blue X denotes ships location)
By 7 PM, the winds had shifted to a westerly direction, reaching speeds of 45 to 50 knots. These westerly winds blew directly across the vast expanse of Lake Superior, generating waves of 25 feet or more. Shortly after 7 PM, the Edmund Fitzgerald sank, and other nearby ships reported that they could longer see its lights. There were 29 crew members aboard the vessel, all of whom tragically lost their lives in the events that unfolded that afternoon and evening on Lake Superior. The ship currently rests in two pieces at the bottom of the lake. Numerous theories exist regarding the exact circumstances that led to the ship's sinking, but the details and cause are still unknown.
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