Photos

Strong Lake Michigan Winds Make for Dramatic Photos

Strong November winds on Lake Michigan have aided photographer Tom Gill in creating these gorgeous photos of dramatic crashing waves. The waves can be seen breaking at the pier, and sometimes splashing over the 35-foot-tall lighthouse.

"Following an afternoon of roof repair due to the strong winds in the region, I made it to Lake Michigan just before sunset," Gill explains on his blog. "Winds in the area were gusting to 30 miles per hour, creating waves on Lake Michigan exceeding 20 feet."

In some of the photos, waves wash over the seawall, flooding picnic tables and sidewalks.

"With weather such as this, one would expect an empty beach, yet kite surfers rode the waves and people lined the parking area to witness the pounding waves," Gill wrote.

The Chicago-based photographer has been snapping images of lighthouses on Lake Michigan for several years. He is taken with natural and manmade structures in the area.

In a few weeks, temperatures at Lake Michigan will reach freezing, and waves like this will coat the lighthouses and bridges in thick ice, creating surreal ice sculptures.

MORE FROM WEATHER.COM: Incredible Frozen Lighthouses on Lake Michigan