What Is this Strange Device the US Army Set Up in South Haven Over Christmas?

It's been a mild winter at best here in West Michigan, so you may find yourself spending a little extra time outside compared to previous years. You might as well get out and stretch those legs while we're sitting here scratching our heads and wondering when the white fluffy stuff is going to appear.

I've seen several of my friends post to social media that they've been visiting the coast and enjoying the beaches of Lake Michigan. It may be a little too cold to get in the water, but that doesn't mean you can walk the shoreline and enjoy the view while we're having a pause in the unseasonable weather.

But a few people who went to the beach in South Haven over the holiday may have noticed a strange device that was set up, suspiciously looking over the water. Was it some homemade nonsense? A mind control device? Or maybe they're using it to talk to aliens? Not quite...

According to the US Army Corps of Engineers, the mysterious device that left everyone curious is actually being used to help track the beach. They made a post to social media explaining what it is:

Engineers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District Hydraulics and Hydrology Branch were out in South Haven, Michigan last week using the Integrated Radar Monitoring System (IRaMS) to collect information about the waves. IRaMS utilizes radar to track breaking wave crests, which can be used to learn about coastal processes during storm events. Engineers in H&H are developing a mobile version of the system that can be rapidly installed when large storm events are predicted, like the storm in South Haven.

I'm sure when they set it up, they assumed (like most of us would) that it would be deep into the winter so no one would really see it. But with this unseasonably warm weather, more people are stumbling upon the device.

So if you see it, leave it alone. They're just doing a little science during the off season so they don't have to bother you during the warmer months.

Speaking of strange Michigan mysteries...