More than 1 million people are being told to stay out of the water in Lake Michigan at least through Thursday as large waves and dangerous currents pose life-threatening conditions for swimmers.

The extended alert comes a day after National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists in Grand Rapids, Michigan, issued a beach hazards statement for roughly 600,000 people along 120 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline.

Why It Matters

Lake Michigan is a major summertime recreation destination across the Midwest. This week, the popular lake has dangerous swimming conditions, prompting NWS meteorologists to urge swimmers to stay out of the water until conditions improve.

According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, there have been 66 drownings reported on the Great Lakes this year, including 32

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