The ice cover of Yellowstone Lake remains stable despite climate change, but scientists predict that a 'tipping point' may be coming, where everything changes.This will occur when the shift from snowfall to rain in the region reaches a crucial moment, they predict.A study led by researchers at the University of Wyoming discovered that overall ice cover on the lake, despite the increased effects of rising temperatures, has stayed the same over the years.
'Using local weather data, we found some evidence for increased summer, fall and spring temperatures, primarily in the last three decades. Given the key role of air temperatures in driving ice formation and break-up, it is noteworthy that we did not find evidence for corresponding shifts in ice phenology,' the researchers wrote.