Here is an image of water temperatures of Lake Erie near Monroe where the Race for Recovery is this weekend. I’m wondering about the temps on this map- am I reading this right? 50 degrees fahrenheit? There are patchs of 30-40 degrees fahrenheit. That seems oddly cold to me. Are any of you aware of resources that show other water temperature readings? I got this from an N.O.A.A. link- this info is accurate as of last night at 11:41 PM. Come on, am I readin this wrong- can you have a swim in 35-50 degree water?
Also according to the site: “all the storms we have had this week has flipped Lake Erie so the cold water has come to the top. We will be looking for some warming this week”. I sure hope so!
Tom: In an earlier thread I asked that if under these conditions I would be better off wearing a cheaper full suit (3m max in the chest) that is slightly too big in the shoulders or a nicer thicker QR that is sleeveless and knee length. What are your thoughts? I would hate to freeze out there!
Interesting idea. I would really want to test that out in the pool before I tried it in a lake for a race. Novel concept though. I wonder if there may be an issue with the overall thickness of the suit(s) exceeding USAT standards. This is likely not an issue at this event since, that I am aware of, it is not affiliated with USAT so they may use their own standards for wetsuit use.
I thought about the affect of the winds and the storms on the water. According to this resource it may have exerted the opposite affect.
In any case, I know that predicting water temps there are a bit of a crapshoot since they can (and have) flip-flopped 20 degrees in under 24 hours. I don’t mean to sound the alarm, but these temps look really weird to me and it is a reliable resource reporting these.
Oh, duh… Sorry man. I totally misunderstood what you were suggesting. Sorry about that.
In a circumstance like this I think I might opt for the full suit but maybe with a fleece rashguard like you see for kayaking or under a drysuit. There are stretchy ones you can get from REI and other outdoor supply places. I think Patagonia makes one too. As long as it didn’t restrict movement and you tested it first. Heck, even without something like that I think you’d be better off in a full suit.
The one thing I am thinking here is that , if these water temps *are *correct, and the sources say they are, I mean… You can’t have a triathlon swim in 35-50 degree water… can you?
In reading this map carefully I do note that the offshore temps appear *warmer *while the inshore temps are much colder. I wonder if that will change take place before this weekend. It will be fascinating to follow. Also, what is with the really big black area on the map with no readings? Is that a security thing because of Fermi II? I thought that plant was inactive now.
i swam open water last Sunday in Lake Erie at Kingsville. It was definitely warmer than 50. I can tell by the level of numbness on my face. I would estimate it was at least 60. I swam in a full sleeve suit with 1 regular swim cap (not thermal) and was fine after i warmed up a bit.
you…of all people…should know better than anyone else around these parts Tom that the big lakes can roll over…in either direction…in a matter of hours.
You’re right Jim. I do know the temps can and do change frequently- in either direction. I was at a friend’s house on Lake Michigan two weeks ago and the thermometer off his dock read 45 degrees fahrenheit water temp. He said he has seen 20 degree swings in 24 hours.
Friday, June 8:
Low 58, high 84. 60% chance of scattered thunder storms.
Saturday, June 9:
Low 57, high 76. 10% chance of precipitation.
Sunday, June 10:
Low 59, high 73. Sunny.
The interesting thing will be to see the affect of the storms (if any, as predicted) on Friday as we go into the weekend. As you mention, it could go either way. Lake Erie is a shallow lake and therefore somewhat more volitile to weather and temperature changes. See the bottom color images for the bathymetry of the West Erie Basin portion of the lake. These are from the most recent soundings. It is amazing how shallow the water is.
I was on Lake Erie in Monroe this past Sunday. My boat has a water temp sensor 3 feet deep attached to the fish finder. It registered 71f on shore and 66f 40 miles off shore (and felt that way as well). Lake Erie is shallow and is normally 70f by june. The maps are wrong or outdated.
I thought you’d be at the Ann Arbor Triathlon seeing you are a sponsor of that event. Hmmmm.
You’re sponsoring a tri a few miles up the road from this race on the same day. What’s the water temp of Halfmoon Lake? Do those participants have anything to worry about concerning their safety?
when I saw the water temp data on Lake Erie I also tried to get the same data for Half Moon Lake. I don’t know what it is yet… I am presuming it will be a wetsuit swim but I am not sure at this point. I figure any race in the Midwest this weekend is going to be a wetsuit swim.
