"Today may be a good day to avoid the lakefront," ABC7's Tracy Butler said Friday morning. "Wind gusts are expected to reach 40 miles per hour. Some waves could be 21 feet. The Coast Guard is warning boaters on the danger."
A rip current warning is in effect from Waukegan to Indiana for the weekend. Conditions can be dangerous for even the strongest swimmers.
The Coast Guard also issued a warning to boaters about the dangers of setting sail in choppy waters.
"You want to make sure the vessel that you're going to be on is appropriate for that type of a sea state, and to be quite honest with you, not many vessels out here are equipped to handle those kinds of seas," James Strempel, Coast Guard, said.
Organizers of the 20th Annual Verve Cup Regatta, sponsored by the Chicago Yacht Club, expect to cancel Friday's event, day one of the three-day race.
