Winter is coming - Buoys, flags coming down at Michigan state park beaches along Great Lakes

(FOX 2) - As summer winds down, the safety measures for swimmers at Great Lakes beaches are coming down, meaning it's time to stay out of the water.

Staff with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources have begun removing buoys and warning flags at state park beaches. These are typically installed before the Memorial Day holiday weekend and come down after Labor Day.

"The reason the buoys and beach flag warning system are taken down after the Labor Day Weekend is because the weather patterns begin to change in September," said Pat Whalen, Plainwell District supervisor for the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. "September can be unpredictable in terms of high winds and waves and water temperatures, which can often prevent staff from 14-day inspections and removal of the swim buoys."

Though the beaches remain open, the DNR recommends not swimming until the spring.

Dangers swimmers could face include currents, fast-changing weather patterns, and water cold enough to cause hypothermia. 

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