Its been a light year regarding ice on Lake Superior, here is a NASA satellite shot from 3-5-10:
Here is the view on 3-3-09:
Click on the photos to enlarge them.
I remember the late ’90s and early ’00s after I moved here, spring came early. Some years I was out camping on Grand Island by mid march to late march. Recent years have seen blizzards dumping multiple feet of snow in mid april and cooler weather into late may. Needless to say, camping prior to may has been rare.
These recollections are matched by National Weather Service data. The last frost in spring/early summer is occurring later in recent years. Also the first frost in the late summer/early fall is occurring later. Climate change appears to be shifting the seasons locally.
With the light ice cover, there are some people optimistic about an early spring. Yeah right is the usual response I hear and for good reason. Living in the UP there is a storm sometime around St Patty’s Day, recent years it has been a big dump of snow.
Whatever comes, this weekend looks like a great weekend to be out doing some spring paddling. Of course, the skis are not being put away just yet.
sam