The long Labor Day weekend will mark an end to a summer favorite in Chicago as city beach season officially closes, but the final day also comes with a warning.
According to the Chicago Park District, beach season on the city’s lakefront runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day, with the September holiday marking the final day lifeguards will be on duty.
However, beachgoers and boaters might want to think twice this Labor Day.
According to a beach hazards statement issued by the National Weather Service, “life-threatening” waves and currents are expected at Lake Michigan beaches throughout the Chicago area until Monday evening.
“Planning to head to the lake today? Dangerous swimming conditions will continue at Lake Michigan beaches through this evening. It’s all fun and games until someone is swept away,” the NWS wrote on X Monday.
The NWS advises staying out of the water, and avoiding going out on to piers, break walls or other shoreline structures.
“It’s a very hazardous day to be going into the water for wading or swimming,” said Dave Benjamin, the co-founder of the non-profit Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. “It’s highly advised you’re not entering the water at your beaches.”
Lifeguards at Ohio Street Beach Sunday pulled everyone out of the water once the conditions became too dangerous.
Benjamin said there have been 77 drownings across the Great Lakes in 2024, and 57 percent of them were in Lake Michigan.
A guide to beach conditions and flag warnings from the Chicago Park District can be found here.
For those looking to enjoy swimming well into the colder months, the Park District noted that indoor pools will reopen starting Tuesday.