Great Lakes Ice Thickness down 30% Since the 70s, U.S. Winter Temps Above Average, Precip Below Average

Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan research has shown. Even with the significant ice coverage this year. Lake Michigan is near normal to a bit above average this year, Superior has more ice than in the last six years. The U.S. December – Feb temp was 0.58 degrees above normal even though parts of the Midwest were quite cool, the rest of the country was not. January-February 2009 was the driest, first two month-period in the 1895-2009 period of record.