Nearly 85 percent of Great Lakes covered by ice [View all]

Nearly 85 percent of the Great Lakes were covered in ice as of Sunday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The figure is not only well above the long term average for ice coverage of the Great Lakes, it's approaching last year's peak of 92.5 percent coverage on March 6, weather experts said.

An image released by NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory on Monday shows Lake Erie is "a vast white plain." Along with Lake Huron and Lake Superior, it is more than 90 percent ice covered with small areas of open water.

Scientists have said that the prolonged deep freeze that has led to the ice coverage could bring cooler temperatures for the region this spring.


http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/02/23/nearly-percent-great-lakes-covered-ice/23912401/