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Lakefront residents prepare for another round of potentially big waves

Posted at 9:57 PM, Jan 17, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-17 23:21:29-05

MILWAUKEE — People up and down the Lake Michigan shoreline are bracing for another weekend of high winds and big waves.

TODAY'S TMJ4 meteorologists believe the area could see a strong southeast wind on Saturday.

That's making lakefront residents like Robin Shellow nervous. She's getting more shoreline protection, which comes with a hefty price tag.

"Last weekend was this way," Shellow said. "It started out southeast last weekend, this feels not much different."

Last weekend's system ravaged the lakefront. Waves ripped through a home in Pleasant Prairie and flooded the Port of Milwaukee. Milwaukee County faces more than $10 million in damage.

Port Washington saw some damage around its lakefront walkway, and officials are still figuring out the cost.

"Our harbor master said it was the worst he'd ever seen, especially because of the high lake levels," said Port Washington City Administrator Mark Grams. "And that's just made the situation even worse."

Grams doesn't believe Saturday will be as bad as last weekend, thanks to a southeast wind instead of a northeast.

"We do have much more break water protection out on our southeast end, and so we don't anticipate any damage is going to be caused by a southeasterly," Grams said.

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