Strong wind gusts along the Great Lakes and Lighthouse Cove are expected to cause flooding for some residents in Chatham-Kent and surrounding areas.
Environment Canada has issued strong wind warnings for Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie. Wind gusts are expected to slam the shoreline on Wednesday and Thursday. The Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority (LTVCA) issued a flood watch on Wednesday morning as wave heights in some areas may reach up to one metre in height.
"Strong winds will be driving waves onto the Lake St. Clair shoreline in Lakeshore and Chatham-Kent this afternoon and throughout the day Thursday," the LTVCA said in a release. "There is a risk that wave action could damage shoreline protection works, cause erosion, and flooding in low lying areas."
Conservation officials said areas such as Erie Shore Drive and the high bluff areas in Chatham-Kent may also experience some flooding.
"Whether damages will occur will depend on actually how high wind speeds get and the direction they are coming from at the time," the LTVCA said. "Residents should pay attention to local conditions and be prepared."
Conservation officials will continue to monitor wind speeds and direction to determine if a change in the flood watch advisory is necessary. Wednesday's wind speeds are coming from the west with gusts up to 40 kilometres an hour. The wind direction is expected to change by Thursday but will still remain strong. The LTVCA release states that winds may gust up to 50 kilometres an hour if the winds come from a northwest direction.
The flood watch will remain in effect until Friday.