Posted on 03/09/2024 2:54:04 PM PST by nickcarraway
The lakes hit their lowest ice cover in over 50 years last month, with experts warning that toxic algal blooms and lower fish stocks could follow.
Biologists have been keeping tabs on a remote Lake Superior island's fragile wolf population every winter since 1958. But they had to cut this season's planned seven-week survey short after just a fortnight.
The ski plane the Michigan Tech University researchers study the wolves from uses the frozen lake as a landing strip because there's nowhere to touch down on the island. But this weirdly warm winter left the Great Lakes nearly devoid of ice.
As climate change accelerates, scientists are scrambling to understand how iceless winters could affect the world's largest freshwater system.
(Excerpt) Read more at euronews.com ...
What does that mean for the world’s largest freshwater system? Less ice for right now, more ice later, followed by less or no ice at all. Forever and ever.
It means that there isn’t as much ice on the Great Lakes this year.
This means that we are at the bottom of the 7 year cycle that is the great lakes.
The level will be at its lowest this year. The environmentalists will panic.It will start to climb next year, for about 7 years, then it will flood and the environmentalists will panic.
And just a few years ago, Lake Superior was nearly frozen over.
It means less ice fishing and more open water fishing.
Yes I remember. Climate scientists have an agenda.
I would be interested in listening to an actual scientist without an agenda. We only have limited data. So the point is I'm not worried about it. The earth may be warming and it appears to be natural to me. We may have to adjust a little but. The Israelis have adjusted to living in a desert. No reason we can't do the same.
Well, far as I can see, it means that there’s the POTENTIAL for the lakes to warm up earlier than usual and IF it isn’t a cold fall and they stay warm until Nov or Dec, Buffalo and the Tug Hill could be in for a doozy of lake effect snow events.
It all depends on if we have a cool or warm summer and fall.
There was a remarkable photo a few years ago of the beach at one of Michigan’s state parks on Lake Superior. It was taken on the first weekend in June, and it showed beach goers lying on the sand … with chunks of ice floating on the lake in the background.
The problem is the choice of strategy. Mitigation is clearly less expensive than halting energy use. And “in case” climate change isn’t anthropomorphic, and just cyclical, doesn’t make everyone poor.
Yes I remember that photo too!
I also remember “climate scientists” telling us that the Northwest Passage would be ice free 365 days a year and the water almost warm enough to go skinny dipping.
“The ski plane the Michigan Tech University researchers study the wolves from” . . .
Probably could switch to pontoons and land on the water.
“Researchers” might be studying that.
I was watching YouTube videos of meteorologists back in the summer. They were saying we were going to have a warmer-than-normal winter. They proved correct.
It means absolutely nothing
I grew up in northern MN. Spent many weeks on Isle Royale with wonderful memories of Washington Harbor fishing, seiches!, and hiking the ridge. Decades later, started my PhD in Ecology & Behavioral Biology. Met USGS’s L. David Mech several times.
Look up his research on the wolf/moose ecosystem.
My snark? The Isle Royale moose were always ‘happy’ when the lake didn’t freeze over and allow wolf packs to migrate from the MN shore.
As an ex pilot - use a float plane, you asses!
Damn, I’m getting senile.
And back when we had vertically-integrated base industries - it meant a longer shipping season for iron ore and taconite pellets to go down=lake through the locks to feed the furnaces of Indiana and Pennsylvania
That is a preparatory statement which will lead to the suggestion that Americans need to give up their 2nd amendment rights to a firearm in order to stop global warming.
“…weirdly warm…”
That a scientific term?
Since El Nino seems to have disappeared from any media stories about this winter, maybe he applied for asylum and got a $5,000 Bidenbucks debit card. I wonder if he will make an appearance when the 5K runs out.
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