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 ...
And he’s still spewing his pap with an angry red face, all pissed off ‘cause nobody believes him any more.
Yep - back in the 60s, my 7th grade science teacher said we were creeping towards the next Ice Age...
Back in the 80s and 90s, I was responsible for an automobile winter test site near Sault Ste. Marie Michigan. We had two totally different winter seasons there each year. At first, there were heavy lake effect snowstorms most of the days from moist air blowing across Lake Superior. The snowplows had to work most days.
About halfway through the winter, Whitefish Bay would freeze over, and the snow would stop for the rest of the winter. Whitefish Bay was where the Edmund Fitzgerald sunk during a November storm. Lake Superior is quite deep, but the shallower bays freeze over regularly. Whitefish Bay is actually shallower than the Edmund Fitzgerald’s length.
Lake Eire is the shallowest of the Great Lakes and freezes over regularly.
The disadvantage is the shoreline erosion in the spring with all the ice trying to get up the Niagara River.
The cost to heat my poorly insulated home here in MI is extremely affordable, thanks to natural gas.
Gee, I didn’t know that global warming could accomplish all this. Can someone explain this?
:: I assure you this is due to global warming. I have many degrees in science ... Reality is an ugly bitch for those that predicate everything on global warming and ignore the 4 feet of snow in their driveway. ::
They take solace in reciting their numerous University degrees. 😉
Global warming is the result of climate
The current 7 day period is weather
A few years ago Lake Superior completely froze over.
In the 1950s and 1960s I remember cars driving out to icehouses on some of the lakes in Minnesota.
The coldest we’ve been in my area of the Cascades is -15C (5*F) this year, while we normally get a blast of -30C (-22F) for a week or so. Most of the lakes have just a bit of super thin ice, only a few thick enough to walk on, let alone go fishing.
Our snowpack in the local area is practically non-existent, although the headwaters area of our main water supply river has a 160% snowpack somehow.
It’s been our 3rd straight low water winter. Odd, but not unheard of. Some of those floodwaters from 5 years ago would be nice to arrive as snow in the hills here.
Growing up in Buffalo I remember Lake Erie flooding the waterfront areas of the city when the ice melted in the Spring. It was expected and everyone dealt with it. I thought it was funny the way my Volkswagen Beetle would float across intersections in that part of the city. We just got on with it- no complaining or blaming.
Same. (Michigan, poorly insulated, natural gas, small town) We could not live in the country due to the cost of propane, at least not on fixed incomes.
:)
Seems like old times. Our town was on Lake Erie and this was called “winter”.
Now here in TN, they close EVERYTHING for 2” of snow and temps around 30°. It would be funny, except for the panic and the fact that ice on roads isn’t dealt with.
Considering they don’t know how to deal with the snow and probably nobody has snow tires, they’re all better off staying home until it melts.
This thread is Eerie & Funny.
I miss studded tires, and chains for emergencies. I don’t even know if they’re legal any more.
We all stay in until roads are clear. And that doesn’t bother me at all. So it’s all fun and games until there’s a medical emergency.
I was thinking yesterday that our church should get some German Shepherds to get ready if the Don Lemon crowd decides to pay us a call.
I was talking to someone in a far northern state about our recent ice storm, and how I knew how to drive on snow, but I had studded winter tires. She indicated no one up there used studded tires any more.
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