An abnormally warm winter is having a significant impact on ice levels in the Great Lakes, with NASA warning that those levels are at approximately 1/10th of their usual levels.
According to the latest estimates provided by the agency, the current ice coverage on the Great Lakes as of Feb. 26, 2024 is 4.3%.
That represents a significant decrease from normal levels at this time of year, with NASA saying that ice coverage is typically at its highest levels in late February and early March.
The typical average ice coverage at this point in the year, as measured between 1973 and 2023, is usually around 40%, according to the agency.
This season, the maximum ice coverage NASA has recorded on the Great Lakes was approximately 16% after a blast of Arctic air hit the upper Midwest, but that number quickly decreased as warmer temperatures returned.
Officials and researchers warn that low levels of ice coverage on the Great Lakes can have big impacts in a variety of areas. According to NASA, low ice coverage can help make shorelines more susceptible to damage from wind-driven waves, and certain species of fish can also be left without protection during their spawning seasons.
Fish species can also end up coming into conflict because of reduced ice, with coldwater species like whitefish and lake trout competing with warmwater species that are migrating northward, according to the University of Michigan.
Local
Open lake water can help drive lake-effect precipitation, leading to heavier rainfall and snowfall totals in areas near the Great Lakes, according to Michigan researchers.
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