Posted on 01/30/2026 8:50:09 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
The arctic air mass entrenched over the Great Lakes has resulted in ice expansion across the lakes over the last several days.
As of January 26, total ice coverage on the Great Lakes is about 43.2%. Lake Erie, the shallowest, has over 90% ice coverage. Most of the lakeshore of Lake Huron is at least 90% ice-covered, with fast ice covering the entire Saginaw Bay. The Straits of Mackinac are mostly ice-covered.
The nearshore areas of eastern Lake Michigan, including Grand Traverse Bay, have spotty ice coverage. Lake Superior is about 30% ice-covered.
The arctic air and well-below normal temperatures will remain in place across the Great Lakes through the end of the week, which will allow for additional moderate ice growth.
Each Great Lake now has more ice cover than the long-term average, and the ice is well ahead of schedule. Peak ice for the lower Great Lakes is generally seen from mid-February to the end of February; and for the upper lakes it is from the end of February to early March.
The overall highest percentage of ice coverage for all the Great Lakes took place in 1979 when they were 94.7% covered, according to NOAA.
More ice can mean less lake effect snow, but it can also mean a colder, drier, and delayed spring. The ice inhibits evaporation leading to drier conditions, and because it reflects sunlight rather than absorbing it, the water remains cold for much longer. This can help hold down temperatures, delaying the arrival of spring warmth and keeping temperatures cooler, especially along the coastline.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
The St. Clair river, which connects lake Huron to lake St. Clair, the Detroit river and then to lake Erie is mostly ice covered as of this morning.
CC
Gee, it was 80 degrees today in So Cal.
Sure it can. Just pour some more global warming on it. ROTFL. This new age science really cracks me up.
It is so cold, they’re going to have an ice hockey game
Outside
In Tampa, Florida
Like Lake Erie never froze over before in the winter.
/roll eyes.......
It’s something Upstate NYers hope for every winter to shut off the lake effect snow machine. Good Lord........
Good news for ice truckers. Their work season will start early.
With the cost to heat their homes, people will wish there was Global Warming. Al Gore can get out of that plane and take a hike.
We’re on the far western edge of that. The boundary for winter storm watches for this storm on a NWS clip I watched a couple days ago was I-75 in N. GA. Further east and north it starts getting worse, quick.
I ended up going to two Costcos yesterday, one to buy a car battery for an extra car my son had been using, and one to fuel it up on the way home. I did *not* go into the main store in either case, they were MADHOUSES, full parking lots, crazy busy. The threat of snow in metro Atlanta means everyone MUST buy out all the milk, bread and eggs so that they can make French toast if snowed in.
First Minnesota and now Lake Erie... When will it ever stop?
Here in SW Ohio (Fairborn/Dayton) it’s a balmy -10...and we’re in the middle of 2-3 weeks of extreme cold. Many nights the wind chill drops to -20.
It’s become very exhausting...and at least 2 more weeks for any relief.
This was in June BTW, Lake Superior. On the SW MI area we have been getting the lake effect snow for weeks from Lake Michigan. -6 forcasted tonite.
Omg. It’s like the 70’s all over again. These eco nuts need to find a new hobby and leave mankind alone!
🤣 🤣 🤣 You win the thread!
Where’s algore on this? -4 here this morning, with a balmy high of 21.
Obviously, this is caused by global warming, despite it being frozen over its still global warming. If it was melted, it would also be global warming. Trust the science!
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