Why is Lake Michigan so cold?

The northerly wind produces a condition called upwelling. In upwelling, the north wind pushes the warmer surface water out into Lake Michigan, and pulls much colder water up to the surface at the shoreline. Fortunately it is so cold, most people wouldn’t dare get in the water.

Are the Great Lakes always cold?

Lake Superior is warmer than average, but still too cold to enter, with water temperatures still in the upper 30s and lower 40s. The southern end of Lake Michigan and Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron are really starting to warm up. It looks like the eastern part of Saginaw Bay may be warmed up to 68 degrees.

Do the Great Lakes ever get warm?

Vander Woude said it is “extremely rare” for the lakes to clock temperatures so much warmer than average, but it isn’t unheard of. The Great Lakes experienced a similar warm spell last summer—average surface temperatures reached more than 5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than normal on lakes Erie and Ontario in July.

Are the Great Lakes warm enough to swim in?

Lake Huron has warmed to almost an average water temperature of 70deg. Some people that swim in Lake Superior have commented the water is “warm”. Right now some of the beaches on Lake Superior have water temperatures in the upper 60s. Of course Lake Erie is warm, being the shallowest of the Great Lakes.

What is the warmest Great Lake?

Erie
Erie is the most southerly, shallow, and biologically diverse of all of the Great Lakes. Its shallow depth makes it the warmest Great Lake and a favourite destination for summer recreationists and migrating birds.

Can you swim in Lake Superior in the summer?

Swimming in Lake Superior?! Lake Superior never really warms up any time of the year, and even in summer it can be cold. Still, there are people who get in the water to swim in Lake Superior! You might be considered lucky if the water temperature is in the mid-60s when you’re there.

Can the Great Lakes freeze over?

It is sporadic for all the Great Lakes to freeze over entirely. Yet they experience substantial ice coverage, with large sections of each lake freezing over in the coldest months. During the winter of 2013-2014, frigid temperatures covered the Great Lakes and the surrounding states.

Can you swim in the Great Lakes?

Come on in, the water’s fine. The clean, fresh waters of the lakes offer amazing swimming opportunities, whether you are cooling off on a hot summer day, or jumping in and out during a polar bear dip (icy, annual traditions when brave individuals jump into frigid oceans and lakes, often for charity).

Which Great Lake is the cleanest?

Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest, cleanest, and wildest of all the Great Lakes.

Which Great Lake is the dirtiest?

Of all of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie had become predominantly polluted by the 1960s, largely due to the heavy industrial presence along its shores. With 11.6 million people living in its basin, and with big cities and sprawling farmland dominating its watershed, Lake Erie is severely impacted by human activities.