"When afternoon came it was freezin' rain
In the face of a hurricane west wind"-Gordon Lightfoot, 1976
In the face of a hurricane west wind"-Gordon Lightfoot, 1976
The Edmund Fitzgerald was one of the largest, fastest, strongest boats on the Great Lakes, and she had proven herself in large storms that had sunk similar ships, such as the Carl D Bradley in 1958. The November 10 storm was not like any other storm she had faced; the Fitzgerald reported winds of 52 knots (60 mph), and the Arthur M. Anderson (the two ships had been travelling together) reported having 2 waves wash over her deck measuring 35 feet. The storm was underestimated by the National Weather Service, and its path was initially forecasted to miss Lake Superior in general, but was revised multiple times as the storm grew more intense and changed course. The U.S Coast Guard Report goes into great detail regarding the storm.
“A storm, which was described by a National Weather Service forecaster as ‘a typical November storm,’ was generated over the Oklahoma Panhandle on 8 November...The National Weather Service issued 12—, 24— and 36—hour Surface Weather Forecasts at 0700, on 9 November, predicting that the storm center would travel in a northeasterly direction and pass just south of Lake Superior by 1900 on 10 November. The storm was centered over the northeast corner of Kansas by 1300 on 9 November [and] The National Weather Service issued 12- and 24—hour Surface Weather Forecasts Maps at this time which predicted that the storm would shift to a more northerly direction, pass over Lake Superior east of Michipicoten Island and increase in speed...The storm intensified rapidly as it passed over east central Iowa and, by 1900 on 9 November, it had a minimum barometric pressure of 29.33" Hg and an average speed of advance of 37 knots. At this time, the National Weather Service issued Gale warnings for all of Lake Superior. Winds in the eastern half of the lake were predicted to be "East to Northeast, increasing to 25 to 37 knots during the night, and Northeasterly 28 to 38 knots, shifting to Northwest to Northerly 30 to 40 knots by Monday ( 10 November) afternoon, waves 5 to 10 feet.The National Weather Service revised the forecast at 2239 on 9 November, the next scheduled broadcast, predicting ‘Easterly winds 32 to 42 knots becoming Southeasterly Monday morning, and West to Southwest 35 to 45 knots Monday afternoon, rain and thunderstorms, waves 5 to 10 feet increasing to 8 to 15 feet Monday’...The Gale Warnings were increased to Storm Warnings at 0200 on 10 November, when a special warning was issued with a prediction of ‘Northeast winds 35 to 50 knots becoming Northwesterly 28 to 38 knots on Monday, waves 8 to 15 feet’...At 0100, 10 November, FITZGERALD was approximately 20 miles due south of Isle Royale and reported winds from 030 T at 52 knots, overcast, visibility two to five miles in continuous heavy rain, temperature 37 F , waves 10 feet. At 0700, FITZGERALD was approximately 35 miles north of Copper Harbor, MI, and reported winds from 050 T at 35 knots, overcast, visibility two to five miles in continuous moderate rain, temperature 41 F , waves 10 feet.”- U.S Coast Guard Marine Casualty Report No. USCG 16732/64216