By IUGLS
March 15, 2011
The official first day of Spring is March 20, and the melt is due to bring rises to water levels in the Great Lakes.
During March, Lakes Michigan-Huron are due to rise by 2 inches (5 centimeters), and Lakes Erie and Ontario are expected to rise 4 to 5 inches (up to 12.7 centimeters), according to a forecast from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Lake Superior is predicted to remain steady.
Lake St. Clair is due to rise by the largest amount in the forecast, 15 inches (38 centimeters), as an ice jam clears on the St. Clair River. Crews from the U.S. Coast Guard and their Canadian counterparts have been working to break up the river ice.
The lakes have seen a wide variety of weather this winter, most recently with wide swings in temperature, as well as heavy snow and rain in the southern end of the basin. Despite the forecasted increases over the next month, the lakes still remain below levels of a year ago, according to U.S. government data.
Lake Superior is 8 inches below last year’s levels, and Michigan-Huron is down by a foot. Lake Erie is at about the same level as a year ago, and Lake Ontario is down by 4 inches.
According to Environment Canada’s monthly water levels memo, Lake Superior began the month of March at its third lowest level since 1918.
The Corps forecast notes that ice build-up in connecting channels may cause significant fluctuations in water levels as spring is sprung.
For the summer months, a separate Corps forecast calls for lower water levels than in the summer of 2010.
During March, Lakes Michigan-Huron are due to rise by 2 inches (5 centimeters), and Lakes Erie and Ontario are expected to rise 4 to 5 inches (up to 12.7 centimeters), according to a forecast from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Lake Superior is predicted to remain steady.
Lake St. Clair is due to rise by the largest amount in the forecast, 15 inches (38 centimeters), as an ice jam clears on the St. Clair River. Crews from the U.S. Coast Guard and their Canadian counterparts have been working to break up the river ice.
The lakes have seen a wide variety of weather this winter, most recently with wide swings in temperature, as well as heavy snow and rain in the southern end of the basin. Despite the forecasted increases over the next month, the lakes still remain below levels of a year ago, according to U.S. government data.
Lake Superior is 8 inches below last year’s levels, and Michigan-Huron is down by a foot. Lake Erie is at about the same level as a year ago, and Lake Ontario is down by 4 inches.
According to Environment Canada’s monthly water levels memo, Lake Superior began the month of March at its third lowest level since 1918.
The Corps forecast notes that ice build-up in connecting channels may cause significant fluctuations in water levels as spring is sprung.
For the summer months, a separate Corps forecast calls for lower water levels than in the summer of 2010.