Lake Michigan Sets Ice Cover Record and Prepares For Flooding
According to an article by the Milwaukee-Wisonsin Journal Sentinel, Lake Michigan set the Great Lakes record for the greatest ice cover in history. With the freezing water and rising Spring temperatures, scientists warn that the overwhelming amount of ice and snow could cause severe flooding in some Great Lakes coastal regions once the ice melts.
The 2013-2014 winter marked one of the coldest the Mid-West has ever seen. On March 8, the daily ice concentration on Lake Michigan reached 93.29 percent, surpassing the 1977 record of 93.1 percent ice concentration, according to the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.
Early this week, areas surrounding the Great Lakes will see temperatures of more than 40 degrees. Once the ice starts to melt, scientists warn that the water will not soak into the soil due to deeper frost depths. Areas near state rivers, such as Wisconsin River, should prepare for severe flooding.
For more information, visit the article on jsonline.com.
Photo courtesy of NASA