This winter is quickly shaping up to be extremely low when it comes to ice coverage on the Great Lakes.
Temperatures locally are expected to hover around the 8°C mark, meaning the high point for ice cover has likely already passed.
According to Great Lakes Ice Tracker, ice coverage has dipped to a record low, with just 7.5 per cent ice coverage on all lakes combined as of February 12, slightly below the all-time previous low of 8.5 per cen set in 2012, and well below the historic average of 41 per cent.
Lake Huron is having a very low ice year, with a peak of approximately 26 per cent on February 4. That’s compared to approximately 95 per cent ice coverage on the same day in 1994, and around 40 per cent ice coverage on the same day in 2016.
The lack of ice coverage on the Great Lakes could influence how early the spring is in the surrounding areas, and without any ice, there is a better chance of warming up faster in April and May.
