Earliest ice on record appears on Great Lakes

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the ice formation on Lake Superior at this time of year is the earliest ever recorded on any of the Great Lakes since records started being kept more than 40 years ago.

The organization said ice had formed on November 15, which is the earliest date in its database since 1973.

Temperatures in areas of ice formations on Nov. 15, such as Sault Ste Marie, dipped below -10 C.

The highest level of ice cover this year on Lake Superior was recorded from February to April, when more than 90 per cent of the lake was covered by ice.

Overall, a maximum ice coverage of 92.2 per cent across all Great Lakes was recorded in early March. That was the second-highest ice cover ever recorded on the Great Lakes.

The largest ice cover for the Great Lakes occurred during the winter of 1978-79, when 95 per cent of the Lakes were frozen in mid-February.