What was the weather like when the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in November 1975?
Tuesday is the 51st anniversary of the sinking of the Queen of the Lakes, the Edmund Fitzgerald.
When the gales of November came early, as the song goes, large waves and intense wind lashed the ship on her final voyage. Powerful storms, intense winds, Arctic air, and even bursts of warmth all play a role in creating the complex weather pattern the region experiences.
The Edmund Fitzgerald is a legend on the lakes, the Queen of the Lakes at the time, and the largest freighter to ever go down.
In November, Michigan experiences heightened activity as we transition from summer to winter. The jet stream aligns well, acting as a highway for low-pressure systems to roll through. Arctic air begins to intrude into the U.S., and these areas of low pressure will ride the edge of these air masses into the region.
While the air is colder, the Great Lakes have not fully cooled from their summer heat and remain far warmer, providing a "shot in the arm" to storm systems as they arrive. Side effects of this can include lake-effect precipitation, strong winds, and significant waves.
Low pressure began to form to the east of the Rockies on Nov. 8. By the morning of Nov. 9, it had organized over Kansas and begun a trek northeastward.
By the evening of Nov. 9, 1975, the storm system had strengthened with a pressure of 933 millibars. As the low traveled northeast over warm Lake Michigan, it continued to strengthen. On the morning of Nov. 10, pressure had dropped to 982 millibars after rapid intensification.
The occluded low-pressure system brought strong gales and intense wave heights, causing significant issues for shipping and eventually leading to the sinking of the Fitzgerald.
Wind speeds of 50 knots were recorded on eastern portions of Lake Superior at the time, approximately 58 mph. Continual wave heights of 16 to 18 feet were recorded by multiple crews, but peak waves are much larger when they occur.
Wave heights of 35 feet above the water line battered the Arthur M. Anderson, the freighter famous for being the last to communicate with the Fitzgerald. Peak waves of 20 to 25 feet were also likely in that area throughout the evening hours.
This storm would be enough to batter other ships on the lakes, but it proved too much for the Edmund Fitzgerald to handle that night.
After the sinking, rapid improvements to communication, safety procedures, and even forecasting have drastically increased shipping safety on the lakes.
It's a ship and a legacy that will live on forever.
