Warm winter temperatures have left the Great Lakes mainly ice-free
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3:50
Plymouth community hosts 5K in the fight against ALS
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2:10
Sunny Monday ahead, but showers and thunderstorms later this...
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2:10
Plymouth High School hosts ’Steps for Stegs’
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2:05
Drier but cooler to wrap up the weekend
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6:23
ABC57’s Arts and Acts: Local dance stars shine at A&A Ballet...
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2:49
St. Adalbert Church celebrates Cinco De Mayo, announces fundraising...
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0:40
Congressman Rudy Yakym awards local high school artists
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2:06
Thundershowers tonight, a cooldown tomorrow following cold front
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0:52
Bethel University celebrates 77th commencement
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1:36
Beautiful start to the weekend despite morning fog
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1:03
’Pedals and Petals’ in downtown South Bend
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3:18
Owners urged to vaccinate dogs after puppy left for dead outside...
Following the warmest winter for Michigan and the second warmest winter for Indiana on record, the Great Lakes have seen a notable lack of ice.
Right now, across the Great Lakes basin, there is only 1.2% ice coverage - compare that to the average of 34.3% ice coverage at this time of year. The most ice coverage we've had this year was only 16% on January 22, still below the historical average.
Lake Michigan has only 0.1% ice coverage, far below the 19% average. All of the lingering ice still on Lake Michigan is along the northern lakeshore near Escanaba and the Straits of Mackinac. Ice hasn’t been recorded along the southern lakeshore since late January.
In general, ice coverage basin-wide is declining with the percentage of frozen lake area on a downward trend over the past 50 years.