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Chicago Park District provides water safety training ahead of beach season
Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner! Marking the unofficial start to summer, it’s when Chicago's beaches are back open for business.
CHICAGO - Chicago's weather is about to get hot, but the water in Lake Michigan is definitely NOT hot.
That's the message from the National Weather Service, warning Chicagoans not to try to swim in Lake Michigan over Memorial Day weekend.
Chicago's weather forecast for Sunday predicts highs in the 84° to 88° range, and Monday could reach 90°.
But the water in Lake Michigan is still in the 50°s. That's because Lake Michigan was just above freezing just a couple months ago, and it takes more than couple weeks of heat to warm up an entire lake.
Experts say that most people feel uncomfortable swimming in water that's less than 70°. Lake Michigan will not get to the 70° range until July.
The National Weather Service warns that even experienced swimmers will lose muscle control within minutes in water that is in the 50°s.