Meteorologist Mark Torregrossa writes on Michigan Live about the lingering effect of historic ice extent last winter in the Great Lakes and late ice melt this summer due to that extent:
Lakes Superior and Lake Michigan are currently six degrees colder than last year. If the water continues to remain colder than normal, it could have an impact on Michigan’s winter in several ways.
Currently Lake Superior has an average surface water temperature of 47.6 degrees. Last year on this date Lake Superior was at 53.7 degrees. The long-term average water temperature on Lake Superior for October 11 is 51.1 degrees.
So Lake Superior is 6.1 degrees colder than this time last year, and 3.5 degrees colder than normal.
Lake Michigan has an average surface water temperature of 56.0 degrees, while last year at this time it was 62.1 degrees. The long-term average water temperature on Lake Michigan for October 11 is 58.4 degrees.
Lake Michigan is also 6.1 degrees colder than this time last year, and 2.4 degrees colder than average.
Lake Huron is 5 degrees colder than last year, and only 1.5 degrees colder than normal.
This map above shows current surface water temperatures on the Great Lakes. Lake Superior has a large area of water with temperatures in the 40s. (Source: Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory)
He goes on to talk about the effects this might have on winter:
A warmer Lake Superior and Lake Michigan can really have a modifying effect on bitter cold temperatures. For example, in an early season cold outbreak, Green Bay, WI may have a temperature of 20 degrees. Traverse City, on our side of Lake Michigan, may hold in the mid 30s for temperatures. I usually figure there is a 10 to 20 degree warming effect from Lake Michigan, and also Lake Superior.
But if the lake temperatures continue at this colder pace, cold air will have an easier time moving into Michigan.
So the first impact of cold water could be earlier cold temperatures in November and December.
If the lakes continue through winter colder than normal, freezing over of the lakes would happen earlier.
How does this cold fact square up in the face of claims of “hottest ever”? Is the region in for a record cold winter? It sure looks like it may be more likely due to the influence of this massive heat sink.
[headline updated for accuracy – mod]
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As we have watched the alarmists over the years, we know darn good and well that they would be hollering we are all going to die, and die soon, if the water temps were 6 degrees above normal for the great lakes. With it 6 degrees below normal they will not even mention it if they can get away with that.
The problem is that the climate “scientists” have staked their reputations and funding to a failed hypothesis. There is no evidence that I know of (not models!) that shows CO2 is the control knob of earth’s climate. Since we have a 20 year period showing that in spades, they must do whatever they can to make their failed hypothesis salable to the public. It is all politics now.
(some say that CAGW was never even worthy of the name “hypothesis” but I am not sure if that — maybe is was only a wild assed guess)
Hmmm. I thought the global temps haven’t been rising because the heat was sequestered deep in the bodies of water. Up is down, black is white, back is forth…..we live in the bizaarro world of global warming
scientists and their “consensus”
Any moron knows its global warming causing the lakes to cool………….. like I said……. any moron knows this.
Everyone else might come to the conclusion its getting colder.
How does it square with hottest ever? Easily. Do you know what the “mean” means in global mean temperature?
It will not be the warmist ever, even using their “adjusted” data.
See!! I told you global warming is real!!!!!!
(. . . Oh, wait. Did they say “colder” than normal?)
Do the fish care if it’s colder?
We Michigangers should get Federal funding to help with our “shrinkage” problems that have resulted from this calamity.
jimmy,
Cold weather generally makes guys shrink… ☺
Has anyone called AlGore about this? Maybe he can fix it with his greatest invention, “global warming”.
Shouldn’t they be boiling by now?
I just returned from a drive through Michigan. I was surprised that many of the apple trees were still being harvested in the Traverse City area. The locals mentioned the late start to the growing season. It will be interesting to see what the long term effects of several cold winters on the fruit industry along Lake Michigan.
The UP was already chilly, with highs in the mid 40s. Superior was cold as I walked along the beaches. And the pub in Calumet reported 340.5″ of snow last year. http://www.pasty.com/snow/index.html
The local brews were cold and wonderful while the perch and whitefish were nice and hot, pan-fried to perfection.
Yikes – I just checked the NOAA Superior temp pages and the average surface level temp is 45.81 degrees.
http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/glcfs/glcfs.php?lake=s&ext=swt&type=N&hr=00
One buoy is reporting 42degrees and the average bottom temperature is 40 degrees.
The links on the GL Ice page need to be repaired.
[Degree F or degree C? .mod]
It looks like Fahrenheit.
45.81F = 7.67C
Oops, my bad – it is degrees F. I’ll try to remember to add the indicator the next time. If Superior was 45.81C, it would be one giant bathtub – about 114F.
Hey, Liz! Maybe that’s what all this global warming “science” is about: They’re reporting Fahrenheit temps as Celsius ones! Certainly explains Al Gore’s coming claim of Lake Superior as a terrestrial bathtub caused by charcoal broiling and SUVs.
I’m a far left socialist green party bohemian hippie from San Francisco on acid and it all looks like very confusing to me. Does this mean the right wing loses the mid terms?
As of 10/19/14 – the average Superior surface water temp is 44.8 F. One buoy reports 40.1F and a second one reports 41.5F.
Shall we start a first report of ice on Superior contest?
Lefty LOONatic Weather Forcast…
Sunny… SQUAAAAWK… Global Warming!
Rain… SQUAAAAWK… Global Warming!
Cool… SQUAAAAWK… Global Warming!
Blizzard… SQUAAAAWK… Global Warming!
Drought… SQUAAAAWK… Global Warming!
Windy… SQUAAAAWK… Global Warming!
Snow… SQUAAAAWK… Global Warming!
Weather… SQUAAAAWK… Global Warming!
Ebola… SQUAAAAWK… Global Warming!
“Climate Change” is the term used after fake scientists are caught lying about “Global Warming!” Most folks call it “weather!”
What surprises prepares the polar vortex?
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/stratosphere/strat_a_f/gif_files/gfs_t05_nh_f00.gif
The inhibition of polar vortex over the Bering Strait.
http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/10hPa/orthographic=-4.03,116.97,553
It’s not only temperature down but lake levels are up! Just last year there was gnashing of teeth over low lake levels and warmer temperatures and all that.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/01/18/1469271/how-climate-change-is-damaging-the-great-lakes-with-implications-for-the-environment-and-the-economy/
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators/ecosystems/great-lakes.html
This is why we keep saying the best thing is to do nothing. It’s just natural climate change and we must NOT act now. Remember Australia and the debacle of the desal plants being mothballed?
Ahh here it is on WUWT. Just over 1 month ago we had this.
Caused by global warming of course.
Gavin will soon need to start “adjusting” lake temperature data, too.
It’s global warm, er… cold…. er, now I’m so confused. Just give Al Gore more money and he can tell us what it all means. He’s a scientist, right? Tell me what to think.
More Global Warming
Snow in Sydney in October?
Snow, gales and floods: Storm hits New South Wales”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11342649
If it is colder, it is just weather. If it is hotter it is always climate change and it would have to be our fault. Another little example of the idiocy of the left.
Come on people please let’s stop over analyzing everything. Don’t know bout you but last winter was f’en cold and for a long time, wtf warmers?? If the air is cold, water is cold. Stop the heat transfer, snow insulating, Bernollies bullsh..t. If was f’en cold. However, that’s least of our worries, ISIS I think is attacking Nabraska next Tuesday. Ahh, F it, any one for a round of golf.
What is the coldest year on record for the water temperature of Lake Michigan? These cold temperatures are nothing new. It wasn’t that long ago when I would walk to school and look out at Whirlpools Thermometer indicating the temperature outside was -20 degree F. and the snow was 2 feet deep. I remember in the Tri-State Region (Mich., Ill. and Ind.) snow drifts as deep as 8 and 10 feet (lake effect snow) and playing on the ice bergs most of the winter. These cold temperatures are nothing new and will be repeated many times more during the Centuries to come. Enjoy the Cold Weather around the Great Lakes, it beats what they are having in northern Manitoba.
Holy Anthropogenic Global Warming, Batman!
Boom! Bam! Zonk! Just trying to put the top on the convertible Batmobile before it starts snowing.
[Zonk? Does not the Batcover go “Ziiiiiiiiippppp” ? .mod]
Are these florescent maps bad Al Core LSD trips?
because global warming…hollywood says so, it is true.
And NASA recently found that there is no heat accumulation in the ocean bottoms. Give me your money anyway, dmit! Love, Al and Barry
The colder temps of the lakes and everything else is what we should expect as the warming continues. Per John Kerry and every other warmist moron out there.