Record Ice Cover for Lake Michigan

The wild winter has produced a record. Ice now covers 93.29% of Lake Michigan. This is the highest percentage of ice cover on the lake since data collection began in 1973. The ice cover of the lake dropped in mid and late February, but cold weather to start March refroze the lake to its current, record-setting level.

Lake Michigan is no anomaly, however. As a whole, the Great Lakes are experiencing the second most ice cover ever. Ice covers 92.19% of the surface of the lakes that were carved out by glaciers during the last ice age.

There has been so much snow and rain this winter that concerns have been raised about flooding as the snow and ice melt. High runoff could be coupled with ice blockages on rivers and streams as a sort of natural dam.

For pictures of the frozen Great Lakes, visit the Washington Post.