88% of Great Lakes area frozen

[spelt with a t]

And it might be happening more regularly in the future:

A warmer Arctic could permanently affect the pattern of the high-altitude polar jet stream, resulting in longer and colder winters over North America and northern Europe, US scientists say.

The jet stream, a ribbon of high altitude, high-speed wind in northern latitudes that blows from west to east, is formed when the cold Arctic air clashes with warmer air from further south.

The greater the difference in temperature, the faster the jet stream moves.

According to Jennifer Francis, a climate expert at Rutgers University, the Arctic air has warmed in recent years as a result of melting polar ice caps, meaning there is now less of a difference in temperatures when it hits air from lower latitudes.

As a result, instead of circling the earth in the far north, the jet stream has begun to meander, like a river heading off course.

This has brought chilly Arctic weather further south than normal, and warmer temperatures up north.

The meandering jet steam phenomenon, sometimes called "Santa's Revenge", remains a controversial idea.

Who's going to be the first BPLer to ski across?

[Eugene Smith]

"Who's going to be the first BPLer to ski across?"

Ike, if he hasn't already.

[Jerry Adams]

Another consequence of increased greenhouse gasses may be warmer and drier Pacific coast.

More winter trips to the Sierras.

[Travis B.]

It's for this reason that I've started a local chapter, "Yukoner's for Global Warming". While the rest of Canada (as well as the much of the lower 48) has had a cold winter we've had a relatively mild winter. Abnormally high amounts of snowfall in December, extremely warm temperatures in January and early February (the highest was +13C) and now we've settled into a more regular pattern of -10C to -20C the last few weeks.

[Ike Jutkowitz]

"Who's going to be the first BPLer to ski across?

Ike, if he hasn't already."

Lake Superior is indeed frozen, my friends. More to follow…

[Glenn S]

Yesterday I read that it's now 92% frozen over, with a chance of breaking the modern-day record of 95%.

[Ken Larson]

This last stretch of cold weather during late February into the first week of March caused ice concentration on Lake Michigan to rapidly increase. The Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) in Ann Arbor Michigan measures the ice concentration on the Great Lakes daily. On March 8th, the ice concentration on Lake Michigan was measured at 93.29%. This sets a new record ice cover on Lake Michigan. The previous record was 93.1% set in 1977. The period of record dates back to 1973.

[Stephen M]

I live 2 hours from Lake Michigan and 40 minutes from
Lake Huron so have no excuse to go have a look.

[Jim Colten]

Who's going to be the first BPLer to ski across?

I'm reasonable certain Ike's photo is from the south shore. Looking forward to his trip report!

Significant open water was visible from Lake Superior's north shore March 9. That side of the lake is very deep even close to shore … hard to keep it frozen. That did not deter a LOT if ice anglers from dragging portable shelters way out on the ice shelf (they be crazy!). Saw some nice ridges of broken ice that the wind had piled up.

[spelt with a t]

Ike, you tease.

[Ike Jutkowitz]

That was my plan

[Tjaard Breeuwer]

it's great!
did a trip that would not be possible any other year or time of year, biking up the lake ice, then the beach with crust snow and chip ice, on the north shore of superior.

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