michsnowfreak

Great Lakes ice coverage peaked at 54.8% this week. After a near average winter in 2024-25, this winter ice coverage is solidly above the historical average around 40%. Superior is now half covered, with Erie nearly 100% covered. I went down to a park this afternoon where the Detroit River turns into Lake Erie. The ice is said to be 12-28" thick. Seeing an ice covered Erie is beautiful, even though that stops its Lake snow machine. https://bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/ice-grips-great-lakes-with-erie-nearly-fully-covered/

Went to Lake Erie Metropark late this afternoon. Frozen Lake Erie is a beautiful scene. Great Lakes ice coverage peaked at 54.8% this week. After a near average winter in 2024-25, this winter ice coverage is solidly above the historical average around 40%. Superior is now half covered, with Erie nearly 100% covered. The Erie ice is 12-28" thick near the Detroit River. https://bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/ice-grips-great-lakes-with-erie-nearly-fully-covered/

Id bet on it. Whether its more snow, more thunderstorms/rain, or a mix, Id bet on it. Happens so often that a quiet month leads to a more active. Until this week, its actually been a very "active" winter here in SE MI, just no major storms. Two moderate ones and a ton of small ones.

Me too!

Last 2 winters colder than normal (even tho per cromartieepo last winter torched lmao). Must not be good for MKE palms. Been a pure beavis winter in Detroit. The coming pattern change is a reminder of how wild the next 2 months can be (torches, arctic blasts, snowstorms, tornados, etc).

The mountain west hasn't had deep winter, we have. And if you think we've seen the last snow.... In fact, the average last snowfall is still 2+ months away.

The position of the Great Lakes - a direct path for cold shots - makes me think its very likely to see similar sustained deep cold periods like the one just passed, though not as frequent as shorter, more intense bouts as have been seen in recent years. Its really crazy to see two years in a row with deep south snow. Its been an absolutely fantastic winter for deep cold and snow/ice cover. This is two winters in a row the ratio of days with snow on the ground/snow depth to the total accumulated snowfall is greater than usual. Last winter snowfall finished below avg with snowcover around avg. This winter, while snowfall is still above avg to date, it is not as much above avg as is the snowcover. Should future winters continue to warm on avg, the opposite would likely occur (somewhat of a decrease in snowcover, while snowfall itself stats fairly steady).

LOL cherry picking cities. No, its using the city/metro that i live in and comparing it to the climate period of record. I dont have time to cherry pick a random stat for a random city just because. When the already coldest time of year in your already cold weather city ranks 3rd coldest of 152 years on record...it absolutely is impressive and noteworthy.

Deep Winter? Yes. Snow? No.

DTW soared to 45° today with sun. First time over freezing in 3 weeks. Snow depth went from 8" to 5" and should glaciate as temps drop below freezing tonight.

Thats not the reason its getting attention here. Nor is this the climate change forum. But I digress. In the 25 years I've been on weather forums ("bulletin boards" in the old days), I'd never known weather observer/enthusiast/weenies to dismiss their own weather anamolies because there is a stronger anomaly thousands of miles away. We are weather enthusiasts for many reasons but primarily because we enjoy the weather in our backyard. It's a wild concept to think that instead of a weather enthusiast enjoying a snowstorm in their yard, they should be concerned because its 65° in denver. I guess if i have to pick a weather anamoly not in my backyard to focus on, ill choose the alltime record breaking snowfall in Russia this winter (strangely hasn't been mentioned here).

Cloudy all day but the sun was out first thing in the morning, making the snow glisten.

Deep cold definitely eroding but per the weeklies the persistent warmth looks to remain in the west. Since Thanksgiving, except for 2 brief thaws, we have been treated to a continuous fresh, clean and glistening snow blanket (none of that hoping the torch passes to preseve a crusty pack) with nonstop cold. Feels like a Winnipeg winter. But whats been lacking locally is a real big storm (biggest was 6.2"). With the eroding of the deep cold and the getting to that time of year when real dynamic late winter/early spring storms can develop, its the transition from deep winter to gambling time. More risk, more reward type. Might as well buckle up, what have we got to lose?

Excellent point. We all know the west is having a record warm winter. In fact, I have never, EVER seen the west get as much attention on this forum as it has during this very cold Great Lakes/northeast winter. But lets not forget the basics - outside of some extreme years, the common rule of thumb is west warm/east cool and vice versa. Its the very common result of ridging and troughing. Personally, I am not looking forward to the false spring but I have a hope. Since Thanksgiving, except for 2 brief thaws, we have been treated to a continuous fresh, clean and glistening snow blanket (none of that hoping the torch passes to preseve a crusty pack) with nonstop cold. Feels like a Winnipeg winter. But whats been lacking locally is a real big storm (biggest was 6.2"). With the eroding of the deep cold and the getting to that time of year when real dynamic late winter/early spring storms can develop, its the transition from deep winter to gambling time. More risk, more reward type. Might as well buckle up, what have we got to lose?

Yeah deep winter here. Loving it but a thaw is overdue. Tons of nickel and dimes to keep the snow fresh. Two largest snowfalls here since mid January were 6.1" & 4.9".