WATCH: Winds whip waves against the Lake Manitoba shoreline along Allard Road in the rural municipality of St. Laurent.
WINNIPEG – Home and cottage owners along Manitoba’s biggest lakes are dealing with gale-force winds on Wednesday.
Environment Canada issued a gale warning for both the north and south basins of Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba Wednesday morning. Lake Winnipegosis and Lake of the Woods are also under strong wind warnings.
“We’re pretty well protected with these sand bags as far as wave action and if we get over that well then we’re all gone,” said Twin Lakes Beach resident McCormick, who had to move her home back 75 feet after flooding damage in 2011.
Weather experts say a low pressure system like this is unusual in the summer time. This one is from the powerful storm system that sparked a monster tornado earlier this week in south-west Manitoba.
READ MORE: Official asses tornado damage in Manitoba
Wind speed and direction could raise the lake levels as much as five feet or more along the south shores of both Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba, Manitoba flood forecasters warned Tuesday. Significant wave action could also cause problems along the shorelines, the forecasters said.
FROM OUR FILES: 5 PHOTOS: Wind blows up surf in Manitoba
Rod Classen said the wind felt like it was gusting at 90 km/hr Wednesday morning when the water started moving in at Twin Lakes Beach.
“The whole lake has shifted by about a couple of feet… with the water being so high then it starts coming on the land,” said Classen.
He relies heavily on geotubes to break up the waves heading onto his property, which take over land he used to have out front.
“Now we have hardly anything… you can see how far it’s coming up right, its probably moved in about 30 40 feet,” said Classen.
The winds on Lake Manitoba are forecast to diminish to 15 to 20 knots early Wednesday evening. Winds are supposed to rise to 20 to 25 knots Thursday morning.
On the south basin of Lake Winnipeg, winds are forecast to drop to 25 knots early Wednesday evening, then 15 knots Thursday evening.
Winds on the north basin of Lake Winnipeg should diminish to 20 knots early Wednesday evening.
Lake Winnipegosis and Lake of the Woods are getting strong winds of 20 to 33 knots.
Lake Winnipegosis winds are forecast to diminish to 15 knots late Wednesday evening, then increase again to 20 knots Thursday evening.
Winds on Lake of the Woods should turn and slow to northwest winds at 15 knots around midnight. Winds are forecast to veer to west at 15 knots Thursday morning.
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