How much ice is on the Great Lakes? Which lakes are frozen over

Greater than half of the Nice Lakes are actually lined in ice, and the Arctic entrance arriving Tuesday, February 3 is prone to enhance ice development this week.

On Sunday, Feb. 1, researchers reported that whole ice cowl on the Nice Lakes has grown to 55.95%, based on the most recent ice maps from the U.S. Nationwide Ice Heart. Information for February 2 confirmed slightly less coverage at 50.57%.

Lake Erie is nearly fully frozen – with 95% ice cowl – and Lake Huron has risen to 72% to 77% this week. Lake St. Clair – positioned between the St. Clair River and the Detroit River programs – has been fully frozen over the previous week, based on experiences. Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratorya Nationwide Oceanic Atmospheric Administration program.

Ice alongside a part of Lake Superior’s shoreline, the northern shores of Lake Huron, internal Saginaw Bay and components of northern Lake Michigan is greater than 11 inches thick, researchers say.

A Arctic front approaches on TuesdayFebruary 3 will possible enhance ice development this week. Based on the Nationwide Climate Service, highs are anticipated to be within the teenagers to 20s, earlier than dropping to under zero or single digits in a single day.

Final season, the Nice Lakes skilled near-normal ice ranges after which recovered historic winter low in 2023-2024. Lake Erie recorded the very best protection in 2024-25, reaching 95.8% (which is typical as a result of it’s the shallowest of the Nice Lakes) and Lake Superior had the second most protection at its peak, 71.1%.

The ice cowl for the 2025-2026 season is above the long-term average for this level within the season, based on NOAA.

Because the 2025-2026 ice season continues, researchers will monitor ice charges each day. To watch progress, the American National Ice Center to tell ice charts each Tuesday and Wednesday.

This is extra ice on Michigan’s Nice Lakes:

How a lot ice is on Michigan’s Nice Lakes?

Nice Lake researchers reported 55.95% protection on Sunday, Feb. 1, based on the Biweekly updates from the US National Ice Center.

Based on the thickness chart of the middle, the thickest ice – 12-28 inches – is discovered alongside the north shore of Lake Superior, close to Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, and the southwestern shore close to Ashland, Wisconsin.

As well as, thick ice has expanded into the Strait of Mackinac, the place Lake Huron and Lake Michigan meet; Lake Huron’s Ontario, Canada, bays; the inside Saginaw Bay space, from Bay Metropolis to Port Austin; The shores of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin, from Inexperienced Bay to Escanaba within the Higher Peninsula.

Is Lake St. Clair frozen over?

As of February 2, Lake St. Clair was fully destroyed frozen.

Is Lake Erie Frozen?

As of February 2, Lake Erie’s ice cowl was gone 95.33%.

Is Lake Huron Frozen?

No. From February 2 77.49% of Lake Huron was lined in ice.

Is Lake Michigan Frozen?

No. Solely from February 2nd 33.33% of Lake Michigan was frozen.

Is Lake Superior Frozen?

No. Solely from February 2nd 34.31% of Lake Superior is frozen.

Is Lake Ontario Frozen?

No. Solely from February 2nd 37.23% of Lake Ontario is frozen.

Are the Nice Lakes freezing fully?

Sure. Though it’s uncommon for the whole lake system to freeze, ice cowl can nonetheless attain 90% or extra.

Based on GLERL knowledge, two lakes have fully frozen: Lake Superior in 1973 and 1996; and Lake Erie in 1978, 1979 and 1996.

Lake Superior practically froze over – with 92-96% ice cowl – throughout the 2013-2014 ice season, based on History of Northern Michigan.

When do the Nice Lakes have probably the most ice?

Most ice cowl happens later within the winter season. Within the decrease lakes, peak ice is seen from mid-February to late February; and for the higher lakes it’s from late February to early March based on the GLERL.

The generally the highest percentage Ice protection of all Nice Lakes occurred in 1979, after they have been 94.7% lined, based on NOAA.

• Lake Superior frozen as soon as since 1973based on NOAA. The lake had 100% ice cowl in 1996.
• Ice cowl in Lake Michigan was 93.2% in 2014.
• Lake Huron had 98.2% ice cowl in 1996.
• Lake Erie froze fully in 1978, 1979 and 1996.
• Lake Ontario had an ice cowl of 86.2% in 1979.

Extra: Icicles hanging in your house? Why that is a foul factor

When does ice kind on common on Michigan’s Nice Lakes?

Based on the NOAA’s GLERLright here is knowledge for 2025:

Extra Michigan

• Earliest date for 2025: December 2
• Deadline for 2025: April 14
• Peak ice cowl date 2025: February 21 at 33.5%

Lake Huron

• Earliest date for 2025: December 2
• Deadline for 2025: Could 8
• Peak date of ice cowl 2025: February 21 at 71.1%

Extra Superior

• Earliest date for 2025: December 2
• Deadline for 2025: Could 11
• Peak ice cowl date 2025: February 21 with 45.6%

Lake Erie

• Deadline for 2025: April 22
• Peak ice cowl date 2025: February 20 at 95.8%

Lake Ontario

• Earliest date for 2025: December 6
• Deadline for 2025: April 19
• Peak ice cowl date 2025: February 20 with 26.1%

Which Nice Lake will get probably the most ice in winter?

Traditionally, Lake Erie freezes and thaws the quickest attributable to its shallow depth, the shallowest of the Nice Lakes.

The common depth of Lake Erie is a most of about 18 meters (62 ft), a most of 210 ft – with a shoreline of 1,300 kilometers, the Great Lakes Commission mentioned.

How deep are the Nice Lakes?

Listed below are the opposite common depths for the Nice Lakes, from deepest to shallowest US Environmental Protection Agency:

• Lake Superior: common depth of 483 ft, most depth at 1,332 ft.
• Lake Michigan: common depth of 279 ft, most 925 ft.
• Lake Ontario: common depth of 283 ft, most depth at 252 ft.
• Lake Huron: common depth of 200 ft and most about 750 ft.

Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com