Last week, 15 percent of the Great Lakes was covered in ice. That鈥檚 the highest level of ice cover recorded so far this winter and far less than the 64 percent prediction.
A lack of ice could have lasting implications for this year and beyond.
This year is shaping up to be one of the . That鈥檚 when NOAA started tracking ice cover in the region.
says a mild winter can be a factor in the algae blooms that threaten the waters of western Lake Erie.
"Depending on the summer 鈥� if it鈥檚 a normal summer or if it鈥檚 cool and cloudy, surface temperatures can reach a point where those blooms can start perhaps earlier in the season," explained Leshkevich.
But there are other factors involved as well, including rainfall and .
Ice also protects wetlands and the Great Lakes shoreline from erosion. Leshkevich says the problem extends beyond the environment as well.
"Recreational activities, fish recruitment and even some of the fruit belts could be affected," said Leshkevich. A lake free of ice also means more.
Great Lakes Today is a collaboration of WBFO Buffalo, ideastream Cleveland, and WXXI Rochester.
