Great Lakes experiences record highs

  • 2020-03-17
The water levels in the Great Lakes started the year high enough to break its monthly record for February.

Lakes Superior, Michigan, Erie and Huron all set new records for the month. Data from the U.S Army Corps of Engineers shows that Lake Michigan-Huron’s water levels during February reached 581.33 feet. This is six inches more than the previous record for February, and 17 inches higher than last year’s February levels.

The data also suggests that Lake Michigan-Huron will surpass its mean levels for the period measured between March and August this year by up to five inches. The officials also stated that the month of February was particularly dry and extremely cold temperatures were rare. Evaporations levels went up as well however the water levels are still going up because of a combination of high levels of rainfall and the fact that late winter and early spring are when seasonal runoff reaches the lakes.

The high water levels cause larger waves and stronger storms, which are expected to cause a substantial amount of erosion on the coastlines. People in the Green Bay area who were affected by high levels of erosion in 2019 are advised to expect similar issues this year. Poster printing is a great way to inform people to be more cautious.

The previous records for high water levels in the Great Lakes were set in the late 80s.