Charts have revealed just how little ice the Great Lakes currently have.
Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration CoastWatch shows just how low ice coverage in 2024 is so far, compared to averages recorded between 1973 and 2022.
All five Great Lakes have seen record low ice concentrations so far in February, with only 2.99 percent of ice coverage being recorded on February 11, the Weather Network reports.
Ice coverage has been low since the start of the year, with only 0.35 percent measured on January 1 across the entire basin, according to the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.
This is the lowest ice coverage has been since records began in 1973.
Ice cover across Lake Superior was very low at the start of this year, and although it rose a little above 5 percent in January, it did not come close to the average.
The average ice concentration for Lake Superior in February usually starts at 30 percent and gradually climbs until around 50 percent. However, at the moment, ice has barely covered 2 percent of the lake, according to the charts.
Out of the five Great Lakes, Lake Superior is seeing the most rapid decline in ice cover each year. A 2021 study found that it was one of the fastest-warming lakes on Earth. This was largely down to climate change.
Lake Michigan's ice cover also started off low this year. However, it met the usual averages in January, when a cold spell in the region extended ice coverage to around 20 percent.
Ice cover then dropped rapidly. Although it is usually a little over 25 percent at this time of year, Lake Michigan's ice coverage has not even reached 5 percent so far this February.
Other graphs show that Lake Huron's ice concentrations are just a little over 5 percent, while the average for this time of year is usually around 50 percent.
Lake Ontario has barely any ice at all compared to its 20 percent average, while Lake Erie saw a sharp increase in ice over January, only to see a large drop this month, with the ice now completely gone.
The globe is currently experiencing an El Nino weather year which usually means warmer than usual temperatures across parts of the U.S. at this time of year.
As the ice coverage has been declining across the Great Lakes for several years, experts believe climate change is playing a role.
The globe has seen some record temperatures recently. Last month, data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) showed that the average global temperature in 2023 was 1.46 degrees C (2.6 F), the 10th year in a row that temperatures demonstrated a degree rise.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the Great Lakes? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Robyn White is a Newsweek Nature Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on wildlife, science and the ... Read more
