A Storm’s Effect on Lake Erie

Summary: There are 2 spreadsheets, Western Erie Basin and Eastern Erie Basin.

Note: For a question to be testable, the locality, time and variables must be specific.

View the Data: LkErieStorm.xlsx

General Questions:

  • Can a relationship be drawn between the low-pressure center and the movement and direction of the storm?
  • Is there a relationship between wind speeds and wave height?
  • Can a comparison be made between water levels and the Western and Eastern Basins of Lake Erie?
  • Can a correlation be drawn between maximum wind gusts and wave height?
  • If a storm with high winds moves through this area from the west to the east, which lake(s) have the longest fetch? In other words, which lake(s) would be in contact with the wind for a longer period of time?

Specific Questions:

  • Does wind direction change when the pressure is between 1000 mb and 995 mb in the Western Basin of Lake Erie?
  • Is there a relationship between the time when the low pressure center comes through the Western Basin of Lake Erie and when it comes through the Eastern Basin of Lake Erie?
  • By graphing the water levels on October 24, 2001 through October 28, 2001 in the Western Basin and Eastern Basins of Lake Erie, can a correlation be drawn between low and high water levels? Do the water levels ever stabilize or come into equilibrium?

See: Research Methods

Data Source: International Field Year on Lake Erie (IFYLE), NOAA GLERL