An unusual and dramatic drop in water levels along the western Lake Erie shoreline on Wednesday stopped some beach visitors in their tracks as they witnessed a seiche — a wind-driven oscillation temporarily altering water levels across the lake — in real time.

The sudden shift pushed water from the western basin of Lake Erie, where stretches of lakebed were laid bare, toward the eastern shore near Buffalo, New York where data recorded a rapid rise of nearly five feet in water levels in less than two hours.

Residents from towns along the Essex County shoreline rushed to social media with photos and videos, capturing docks left nearly dry and rocks that hadn’t seen daylight in years.

While surprising to many, the phenomenon is nothing new for Lake Erie, the shallowest and most wind-sensitive of the Great Lakes — but it’s always a spectacle when it happens.

This particular seiche, triggered by a powerful wind system sweeping through the region, sent water toward the lake’s eastern basin, leaving western communities — including Kingsville, Leamington, and Pelee Island — to witness a swift drop in lake levels.

Officials urged caution, reminding shoreline visitors that what goes out can come rushing back quickly. Once the winds ease or shift, the water returns fast, sometimes faster than people expect.

The unusual conditions attracted plenty of curiosity-seekers. Treasure hunters who took to the beach hoping to spot old bottles, unique stones, or rumoured relics were warned to tread carefully. Newly exposed mud can be unstable, and drop-offs can appear without warning as the lake level rebounds. Residents were also cautioned to avoid climbing on breakwalls, logs, or metal debris that may have shifted in the overnight winds.

Charlene Atkins of Levergood Beach in Essex documented the effects of the seiche unfurling in front of her home.

Her renovated cottage, built in 1920 and previously owned by her great aunt, was Atkins’ summer home throughout the 1960s and 70s and became her family’s permanent residence in 1982.

Since that time, she has never witnessed such a dramatic shift in the shoreline.  “It’s very unusual. Most of the time, the water is up to the rocks”, Atkins said.  “At one point I could see the first sandbar.”

Water levels continued to fluctuate throughout Wednesday and Thursday as the system moved east. Anyone heading to the shoreline should continue to keep an eye on weather reports and stay alert to rapid changes in lake conditions.