Earth Day: How low ice coverage is changing the future of Lake Michigan, the Great Lakes

Earth Day 2024: How rising temperatures from climate change causing low ice coverage is changing the future of Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes.This past winter was one of the warmest on record. It led to record-low ice coverage on all five Great Lakes, a sign that the world's largest freshwater system is not immune to climate change.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration started keeping track of the Great Lakes' ice cover in 1973. The Great Lakes typically see an average of 53 percent ice coverage in the winter. This year, it peaked in mid-January at just 16 percent, the fourth lowest on record. The ice not only helps shelter marine wildlife, it also helps shield the beautiful beaches we all enjoy.

Less ice cover could also mean more impactful lake effect snow events. When the Lakes freeze over, the fuel that drives these storms shuts off. Years that feature less ice have the greatest potential for snowier seasons. Year to year variability of ice cover will continue but less ice may be the new normal.

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Earth from space: Trio of multicolor lakes look otherworldly in Africa's Great Rift ValleyHarry is a U.K.-based senior staff writer at Live Science. He studied marine biology at the University of Exeter before training to become a journalist. He covers a wide range of topics including space exploration, planetary science, space weather, climate change, animal behavior, evolution and paleontology.
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