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Four-State Swim Advisories Extended as 7-Foot Waves Batter Lake Michigan

Chicago Park District has closed 23 lakefront beaches for swimming ahead of calmer seas forecast for Tuesday.

Large waves roll in at a beach along Lake Michigan.
People relax on the sand and wade into the Lake Michigan water, June 22, 2025, at 57th Street Beach while the heat index soared above 100 degrees for the second straight day. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
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Overview

  • NWS offices in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin extended beach hazard statements through Monday evening, warning of life-threatening rip currents along Lake Michigan.
  • Chicago’s beaches experienced waves up to 7 feet, leading forecasters to urge beachgoers to stay off piers, jetties and breakwalls due to powerful currents.
  • Alerts in Wisconsin predicted 6-foot swells and Indiana and Michigan beaches were warned of up to 5-foot waves that could exhaust swimmers.
  • At least two drownings, including a father and son near Indiana Dunes National Park over the Fourth of July weekend, have underscored the deadly risk of high surf.
  • Conditions are expected to calm on Tuesday with wave heights dropping to 1–3 feet, prompting a likely lifting of swim restrictions.