Stay out of Lake Michigan: NWS issues advisory for dangerous waves, rip currents

FOX 32 NEWS - You could hang out on the beach today, but swimming was considered dangerous.  The National Weather Service issued an advisory for strong waves and rip currents.

A fierce backdrop along Chicago’s shoreline made families who braved the weather keep a close eye on their little ones.

“So we're seeing right now two to three foot waves that could go as high as five to eight,” said Eric Fischer with the Chicago Park District.

With a warning from the National Weather Service, yellow cautionary flags were up at Chicago beaches. Some were showing green, but boaters say all you had to do was look for yourself to know, it wasn’t safe to be off-shore.

“It's not, not any fun when you're out there moving around and you know it's kind of scary sometimes, but yea, once never again,” said David Linnear, boater.

It was a messy day at the beaches with the wind stirring up those waves and the wand flying through the air. The beaches in fact at 63rd, 31st and 12th were all rather empty.

Park district officials say a big concern on a day when winds are blowing out of the north northeast is the potential for life-threatening rip currents.

"So if you're ever caught or feel like you're caught in a rip current, you want to swim or try to walk parallel to the water, to the sand so you can get out of it. A lot of people want to fight it, and it's stronger than most swimmers and it will pull you out into deeper water,” said Fischer.

Steve Rosenwinkel lives for days like these. He’s a surfer living in Chicago and only gets to take his board out a couple times a year.

"They were ok, a little choppy and very windy, not ideal but it was all right,  It was more fun than going to the dentist which was my other plan today,” said Rosenwinkel.