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Chicago Area Surfers Happy To Hang Ten For Halloween

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Lake Michigan was putting on a dramatic show Friday, and forecasters said waves could peak at more than 20 feet. That's drawing surfers eager to catch a few waves, no matter how cold it might be.

WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser reports surfers said, at various places on the southern shore of Lake Michigan, the waves are about as good as they get.

Nevermind the wind-whipped snow and the cold water; when waves get as high as they were on Friday, surfers hit the beach to hang ten.

In Whiting, Indiana, Chicago surfer Steve Hobbs said the waves were "outstanding."

"I mean, this is peak for us. This is like our summertime, so this is outstanding," he said. "I'm ready to jump in, because it's twice as big as it was last week."

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The National Weather Service has issued a lakeshore flood advisory for Cook County, and Lake and Jasper counties in Indiana, as gusting winds will create waves of up to 23 feet high on the southern tip of Lake Michigan.

Hobbs said the highest waves he's ever seen on the lake were after the remnants of Hurricane Sandy blew through in 2012.

"But this is nice and clean, and it'll be a good day," Hobbs said. "It's starting to get a little bit blown out, and by later on this afternoon, the winds will be too strong. The hope is that actually it blows through the night, and then dies down, because tomorrow morning would be perfect then."

Hobbs said surfers tend to look out for each other on the water.

"I was going to go north, but no one's in the water, but I'm glad to see someone in, so that I can surf somebody," he said.

Hobbs paddled out just before police closed access to the lakefront park in Whiting, because waves were spilling over the 10-foot breakwall, and flooding the street.

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