WEST MICHIGAN — (February 15, 2014) Average Ice coverage for the Great Lakes decreased over the last few days. All of the Great Lakes saw ice coverage decrease dropping the average from 88.4 % to 80.2%.
Lake Michigan had the largest decrease in ice coverage of all of the lakes, falling from 82.3% on February 13th to 65.35% on February 14th.
Lake Superior saw the next highest decrease as coverage fell from 94.6% to 87.1% in the same time period.
Lakes Huron and Erie had similar decreases from 95.5% in Huron to 91.7% and 95.8% in Erie to 91.7% in the same stretch of days.
Lake Ontario still ends up with the least amount of ice coverage, but also saw a decrease from 43.4% to 37.8%. Lake Ontario typically has the least amount of ice coverage due to its extreme depth. The lake averages 282 feet deep, with a maximum depth of 800 feet deep making it extremely difficult to freeze.
The lakes will likely see more melting in the next few days as temperatures gradually start to warm above freezing, and a couple of systems will move through the region this week bringing chances for snow, and drizzle which will also likely hamper ice production on the Great Lakes.
