The Chicago skyline is clear against heavy waves as Sandra Michaels of Crown Point steadies herself to take pictures at Whihala Beach in Whiting, Ind. Tuesday October 30, 2012. The strong winds from Hurricane Sandy increased in the Northwest Indiana and Chicago area Tuesday afternoon. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

A row of garbage cans is blown over in an alley near Lake Michigan in Whiting, Ind. Tuesday October 30, 2012. The strong winds from Hurricane Sandy increased in the Northwest Indiana and Chicago area Tuesday afternoon. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Debbie Jurov of Gary holds on as the wind whips her scarf while her sister Randee Jurov of Portage (left) gets ready to take a picture as they experience the strong winds resulting from Hurricane Sandy at Marquette Beach in the Miller section of Gary, Ind. Tuesday October 30, 2012. A steady stream of cars pulled up to the beach where people watched the waves, withstood the sand stinging their faces or watched from the inside of cars rocking in the wind. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Jim Seward of Chicago grimaces as he takes pictures while waves reach all the way to the grass-covered dunes as strong winds resulting from Hurricane Sandy roar at Marquette Beach in the Miller section of Gary, Ind. Tuesday October 30, 2012. A steady stream of cars pulled up to the beach where people watched the waves, withstood the sand stinging their faces or watched from the inside of cars rocking in the wind. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Lake Michigan water covers the whole beach as waves crash into dune grass at the edge of the dunes from the strong winds resulting from Hurricane Sandy at Marquette Beach in the Miller section of Gary, Ind. Tuesday October 30, 2012. A steady stream of cars pulled up to the beach where people watched the waves, withstood the sand stinging their faces or watched from the inside of cars rocking in the wind. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

AT&T cable splicer Frank Upshaw walks up a newly-formed sand dune reaching the top of a wall as heexperiences the strong winds resulting from Hurricane Sandy at Marquette Beach in the Miller section of Gary, Ind. Tuesday October 30, 2012. Upshaw said it was too windy to put up new cables for the concession stand as planned for the day. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Steve and Nancy Vela of Hobart make their way back to their car after checking out the waves and experiencing the strong winds resulting from Hurricane Sandy at Marquette Beach in the Miller section of Gary, Ind. Tuesday October 30, 2012. A steady stream of cars pulled up to the beach where people watched the waves, withstood the sand stinging their faces or watched from the inside of cars rocking in the wind. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

The parking lot is locked up at Charter School of the Dunes as the area experiences strong winds resulting from Hurricane Sandy at Marquette Beach in the Miller section of Gary, Ind. Tuesday October 30, 2012. A steady stream of cars pulled up to the beach where people watched the waves, withstood the sand stinging their faces or watched from the inside of cars rocking in the wind. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

"I've never seen anything like it," said Cindy Evans as she photographed the waves at Whihala Beach in Whiting, Ind. Tuesday October 30, 2012. Evans lives in Havana, Arkansas and is working at BP. "It's bigger now," Evans said referring to the waves on her second trip of the day to the lakefront where the winds and waves appear to be increasing as Northwest Indiana experiences the effects of Hurricane Sandy. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Park Ranger Jean-Pierre Anderson checks to make sure pedestrians have not tried to venture onto the beach or boardwalk at the Lakefront park in Portage, IN on Tuesday October 30, 2012. | Jim Karczewski~for Sun-Times Media

"This is historic," said Shirley Starkey of Portage as she took pictures and experienced the strong winds resulting from Hurricane Sandy at Marquette Beach in the Miller section of Gary, Ind. Tuesday October 30, 2012. A steady stream of cars pulled up to the beach where people watched the waves, withstood the sand stinging their faces or watched from the inside of cars rocking in the wind. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Kathy Glassman of Portage, IN braves the weather to take photos of the lake at the Lakefront & Riverwalk Park in Portage on Tuesday October 30, 2012. | Jim Karczewski~for Sun-Times Media

Carol Julian of Wheeler takes photos inside, avoiding the estimated 50MPH wind and rain outside at the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk on Tuesday, October 30, 2012. | Jim Karczewski~for Sun-Times Media

Veronica Rosinski of Portage braves the wind and rain to take photos of the lake at the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk on Tuesday October 30, 2012. | Jim Karczewski~for Sun-Times Media

Donell Currin holds on tight to his hat as he walks to his son's business, Donell Junior's Automotive, on Lake Street as he experiences the strong winds resulting from Hurricane Sandy in the Miller section of Gary, Ind. Tuesday October 30, 2012. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

A gull flies over the crashing waves at Whihala Beach in Whiting, Ind. Tuesday October 30, 2012. The wind and waves appeared to increase by afternoon as Northwest Indiana experiences the effects of Hurricane Sandy. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Celeste Linde of Gary holds on to her hat and covers her face from the stinging sand as she experiences the strong winds resulting from Hurricane Sandy at Marquette Beach in the Miller section of Gary, Ind. Tuesday October 30, 2012. A steady stream of cars pulled up to the beach where people watched the waves, withstood the sand stinging their faces or watched from the inside of cars rocking in the wind. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

Lake Michigan spray flies as waves crash into a break wall at Whihala Beach in Whiting, Ind. Tuesday October 30, 2012. The wind and waves were strong as Northwest Indiana experienced the effects of Hurricane Sandy. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media