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The water temperatures of the Great Lakes are setting records as an exceptionally hot weather pattern has sent levels to their highest for early July, as some lakes reached their highest temps since record-keeping began.
It’s unexpected to see water temperatures in the Great Lakes reach 75 or 80 degrees this early in July and in some cases they reached the all-time mark. But that’s what is happening amid an exceptional heatwave that is sending the temperature of the waters to record levels.
Lakes Erie and Ontario are already at the warmest temperatures they’ve been since record-keeping began according to The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Lake Ontario: The average water temperature of Lake Ontario reach 77.1 degrees on July 10, which is over 10 degrees above normal, and the warmest record for any month.
Lake Erie: The average water temperature of Lake Erie reach 79.6 degrees on July 10, over 8 degrees above normal, and the warmest record for any month.
Lake Michigan: The average water temperature of Lake Michigan reached 75.1 degrees on July 8, 11 degrees above normal, and a mark reached only one other time in 1999. The warmest water temperature ever recorded on Lake Michigan occurred on August 17, 2016, when it reached 75.6 degrees, MLive reported.
Lake Huron: The average water temperature of Lake Huron reached 72.2 degrees on July 9, almost 11 degrees above normal and the highest mark on record this early in the year.
Lake Superior: The average water temperature of Lake superior reached 55.8 degrees on July 8, over 6 degrees above normal.
The rise in water temperatures is a reflection of an early July that has seen air temperatures among the highest on record. The heat has been a product of a persistent ridge of high pressure over the Great Lakes region, the Washington Post reported. The result has been abnormally high water temperatures.
Buffalo, New York, had seen its longest heat streak with eight straight days of reaching at least 90 degrees, which ended on July 10.
Muskegon, Michigan, which borders the shores of Lake Michigan, also saw a record-setting heat streak, tallying up nine straight days of 90 degrees or higher which ended on July 7.
North of Lake Ontario, in Messena, New York, it reached its second-highest temperature ever recorded, hitting 99 degrees on July 10.
As the heat continues, and with heat moving toward the east and north, more record-setting and possibly historic water temperatures in the Great Lakes could occur across all of the lakes, with the likely exception of Lake Superior, the Washington Post reported.
With the heatwave continuing, and unless lockdowns prevent their doing so, people are likely to rush to the above-average warm water to cool off. You want to make sure to prevent or reduce wrinkles under her eyes that can be caused from squinting by making sure to wear sunglasses, as well as applying moisturizing creams and sunblock.
