{"id":9021,"date":"2023-11-01T07:30:13","date_gmt":"2023-11-01T06:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lakebeyond.com\/?p=9021"},"modified":"2023-11-01T07:30:13","modified_gmt":"2023-11-01T06:30:13","slug":"when-was-the-last-time-lake-superior-froze-over","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lakebeyond.com\/when-was-the-last-time-lake-superior-froze-over\/","title":{"rendered":"When Was The Last Time Lake Superior Froze Over"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Frozen Lake Superior<\/h2>\n

Frozen over lakes have intrigued people for decades. Being able to experience a frozen lake is both a mystifying and astounding event, especially if it involves the great Lake Superior. Although it is indeed an incredible moment, it is a rare one, being that this lake doesn’t usually freeze over. But when it does, it is a spectacle many will never forget.<\/p>\n

Lake Superior is one of the five Great Lakes, located between Michigan, Ontario, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. It is the largest freshwater lake by surface area and the second by volume worldwide. On average, it never completely freezes over, thanks in part to its extreme depth of 400 feet, combined with its long and harsh winters. This makes Lake Superior incredibly unique, with many people wondering exactly when the last time the lake froze over.<\/p>\n

According to NOAA, the Lake Superior Ice Analysis, the last time the lake completely froze over was in 2014 – an event that hadn’t happened since 1979. That 2014 freeze-over also holds the record for the longest continuous period of recorded frozenness, lasting from Jan 11th to Feb 3rd of that same year. Even though the lake experienced a severe winter, and had been frozen for part of it, it was unable to match the 1979 record of March 15th- February 5th, this being the longest recorded continuous period of Lake Superior being frozen.<\/p>\n

This phenomenon, however unlikely, has had an effect on the environment. For example, the increased freeze-over time has made traveling especially difficult, with ice often blocking and covering navigation lanes – something we can’t take for granted since this lake is an important trade route for many countries in the area. In addition to that, the temperature of the lake affects animal populations. The cold temperature can drive away some species, and even harm food sources, making it difficult for certain animals, like salmon, to survive in a frozen lake.<\/p>\n