Is there ice on the Great Lakes? Ice season’s average start, end dates

Seasonal ice is starting to type on Lake Superior, in addition to on the Nice Lakes ice season has barely begun.

Traditionally, ice formation actually begins in early December and ice stays on the lakes till late Could.

As of Tuesday, December 2, researchers reported 0.47% total ice concentration on the Nice Lakes, with inch-thick ice creating in northern Lake Superior alongside the Canadian coast in Black and Nipigon Bays. Ice had fashioned on the south aspect of Inexperienced Bay, Saginaw Bay, close to Sault Ste. Marie, and likewise Lake St. Clair.

The Nice Lakes look like on monitor this season as the typical begin date is December 1st The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.

Final season, the Nice Lakes noticed near-normal ice ranges however then recovered historic winter low in 2023-2024 – with Erie seeing probably the most protection at 95.8% (which is typical since it’s the shallowest of the Nice Lakes) and Lake Superior seeing the second most protection at 71.1%.

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“Ice cover data is highly appreciated as a result of it performs a essential function in each the ecology and financial system of the Nice Lakes area. Lake ice impacts the whole lot from snowfall and fishing populations to leisure actions and the billion-dollar industrial transport business,” the GLERL mentioned.

Because the 2025-2026 ice season will get underway, researchers will monitor ice percentages day by day.

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 in response to the GLERL.

By 2025, The ice cover decreased rapidly in heat spring climate the ice stubbornly caught Black Bay and Nipigon Bay, east of Thunder Bay, Ontario, till Could 10 and 11. Lake Michigan, the primary Nice Lake to thaw fully had a small patch of ice on the edge north side of Green Bay, Wisconsin, on April 10-11.

To watch progress, the American National Ice Center to tell ice charts each Tuesday and Wednesday.

Right here is extra historic ice knowledge on Michigan’s Nice Lakes:

Right now the ice cowl of the Nice Lakes

The Nice Lakes don’t but expertise in depth ice formation, with solely… 0.47% coverage from December 2, in response to the Biweekly updates from the US National Ice Center.

The typical first and final ice dates for Michigan’s Nice Lakes

In line with 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 as a consequence of its shallow depth, the shallowest of the Nice Lakes.

The typical depth of Lake Erie is a most of about 210 meters – with a shoreline of 1,300 kilometers, the Great Lakes Commission mentioned.

Listed here 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.

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What’s the report ice cowl for the Nice Lakes?

The generally the highest percentage Ice protection of all Nice Lakes occurred in 1979, once they have been 94.7% lined, in response to NOAA.

• Lake Superior frozen as soon as since 1973in response to 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.

How heat are the Nice Lakes?

Lake Superior is the coldest of the lakes year-round.

Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com