Lake Erie Gale Watch in Effect for Christmas

URGENT – MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
400 PM EST MON DEC 22 2014

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CLEVELAND HAS ISSUED A GALE
WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH
THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

* WINDS AND WAVES: A STRONG AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS
  THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES CHRISTMAS EVE. AS THE COLD FRONT SWEEPS
  ACROSS THE LAKE STRONG SOUTHWEST TO WEST GALES WILL DEVELOP.
  WIND SPEEDS OF 35 TO 40 KNOTS WILL BE COMMON WITH HIGHER GUSTS
  LIKELY. THESE STRONGER WINDS WILL PERSIST INTO AT LEAST THE
  AFTERNOON OF CHRISTMAS. WAVES WILL BUILD TO AT LEAST 6 TO 10
  FEET WITH A PERIOD OF 10 TO 16 FEET POSSIBLE FOR THE EASTERN
  HALF OF THE LAKE CHRISTMAS MORNING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A GALE WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR GALE
FORCE WINDS OF 34 TO 47 KNOTS IN UPCOMING DAYS. MARINERS SHOULD
MONITOR THE FORECAST AND PREPARE TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS OR
CONSIDER ALTERING THEIR PLANS.