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Great Lakes ice coverage is significantly lower than last year

Posted at 8:41 AM, Feb 17, 2020
and last updated 2020-02-17 13:01:52-05

(WXYZ) — It hasn't been as cold across Michigan in 2020 as it was during this time last year, and we're seeing that with the ice coverage significantly down on the Great Lakes.

As of Feb. 16, none of the five Great Lakes had more than a quarter of the surface covered with ice, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.

The total ice coverage for Feb. 16 was 14.19 percent. The highest of the 2019-2020 winter season came one day before with 18.22 percent.

The breakdown for Feb. 16, 2020, is below:
Lake Superior – 13.38%
Lake Michigan – 13.91%
Lake Huron – 22.41%
Lake Erie – 2.79%
Lake Ontario – 3.94%
Lake St. Clair – 70.71%

Compare that with 2019, where on Feb. 16, 2019, the total ice coverage was 51.62 percent. The breakdown is below.

Lake Superior – 63.94%
Lake Michigan – 30.95%
Lake Huron – 51.79%
Lake Erie – 82.48%
Lake Ontario – 11.78%
Lake St. Clair – 88.96%