Lake Erie water levels are beginning to drop after nearing record levels in June. 

After seeing below average rainfall in the Great Lakes region for 3 months, water levels began to fall in early July after reporting record levels in the month of June. 

June 2019 saw the highest level on record at 574.61 feet, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. Those record high water levels resulted in coastal flooding and significant beach erosion that persisted through the summer.

This image from the Army Corps of Engineers shows 2019 levels in blue, with similar levels in June of 2020, leading to another round of similar issues with flooding near the coast and loss of beaches. 

Lake levels are typically at their highest in the month of June when water flows into the lake from springtime rain from the Detroit River via Lake Huron and Lake St. Clair before eventually draining into Lake Ontario.

A little more beach should gradually become visible over the coming weeks. However, above average water levels are expected to remain through the remainder of the year. 

Lake levels typically begin to drop the most in late fall and early winter when the water is relatively warm and the air gets cooler and drier, leading to more evaporation off the lake.

The precipitation outlook for the region over the next three months will be near or slightly above average. It is expected that lake levels will continue to fall in the coming weeks, although, they will remain well above normal for the rest of the year.