How much of Lake Michigan is frozen?
As of Thursday, Jan. 20, about 16 percent of the surface area of the lakes is frozen. Most of that ice is forming in protected waters that usually ice-up first, such as Green Bay, Saginaw Bay, Georgian Bay, Thunder Bay, the Straits of Mackinac, Lake St.
How much ice is on the Great Lakes right now?
As of Monday PM, Great Lakes surface ice extent was at 14.3%. Lake Michigan ice cover was 14.8%. Lake Huron had the highest percentage of ice cover at 26.8% and Lake Superior had the least at 5.3%.
What percent of the Great Lakes is covered in ice?
Currently about 14% of the entire Great Lakes surface is covered with ice. Some lakes have more ice compared to normal than other lakes. Lake Huron is now over one-quarter covered with ice, at 27% ice cover.
Did Lake Michigan freeze over?
In records dating from the middle 1800s, even in the coldest winters, Lake Michigan has never completely frozen over. It has been as much as 90 percent or more ice-covered in 1903-04, 1976-77, 1978-79, 1998-99 and 2013-14, but the lake is a massive reservoir of heat that is released only slowly into the air.
Do the Great Lakes freeze over?
NOAA forecasts that, throughout the season, they’ll only freeze up about 10 and 12 percent which would be not only highly unusual but also record-breaking in their minimal-ness. Ice cover on the great lakes is highly variable from year to year, but on average 53% of the lake waters freeze.
How often does Lake Michigan freeze over?
Where can I find a Great Lakes ice cover chart?
Beginning in 1989, the U.S. National Ice Center produced Great Lakes ice cover charts that combined both Canadian and U.S. agency satellite imagery. These products are downloaded at GLERL by our Coastwatch program, a nationwide NOAA program within which the GLERL functions as the Great Lakes regional node.
What happens when the Great Lakes have an ice cover?
In a severe ice cover year such as 2014, the thermal structure of the lake could be impacted for the rest of the year, potentially reducing evaporation from the lakes next fall. Evaporation and precipitation are the major drivers of seasonal water level changes in the Great Lakes.
What will the Great Lakes ice cover be in 2021?
The most recent ice cover forecast, updated on Feb 14th, 2021, predicted a maximum Great Lakes ice cover of 38%. The long-term average annual maximum ice cover (AMIC) is 53.3%.
Why is the ice cover on Lake Ontario so low?
In addition, cold air outbreaks from the northwest and west are moderated by the waters of Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron. These factors combine to keep ice cover on Lake Ontario at a relatively low level most years.