great lakes precipitation

The long-term total rainfall average is 163.83 inches on the U.S. Great Lakes drainage basin. In the last five year period of 2015 to 2019, we had 28.83 inches more precipitation than the long-term average. You can see that the five-year total precipitation amounts have been climbing since 2005.

What is the average rainfall in the Great Lakes?

Average lake precipitation in summer is 8.4 inches, which is 14 percent lower than that of the surrounding area. The average winter lake precipitation is 5.4 inches, which is 4 percent higher than that of the surrounding land area.

How polluted are the Great Lakes?

Plastic Pollution

According to a recent study by The Rochester Institute of Technology, 22 million pounds of plastic debris enter The Great Lakes every year. The equivalent of 100 Olympic sized swimming pools filled with plastic bottles is dumped into Lake Michigan yearly.

What are 3 facts about the Great Lakes?

10 Great Lakes Fun Facts You May Not Know

Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. ...
Lake Michigan's shore is home to the largest freshwater sand dunes in the world. ...
The Great Lakes are the largest freshwater system in the world. ...
More than 20% of all the world's freshwater is in the Great Lakes.

Are the Great Lakes losing water?

The loss of Great Lakes ice has allowed more water to evaporate in winter, resulting in heavier lake effect snow near the shore, and lower lake levels. Overall, the Great Lakes have lost 71% of their ice cover since 1973, according to a study by the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL).

What is the average temperature of Lake Michigan?

Lake Michigan now averages 74 degrees on the surface, which is 11 degrees warmer than the historical average water temperature on this date. Lake Huron average water temperature this year (red) versus long-term average. Lake Huron is eight degrees warmer than average at 69 degrees.

What is the dirtiest of the Great Lakes?

Of all of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie had become predominantly polluted by the 1960s, largely due to the heavy industrial presence along its shores. With 11.6 million people living in its basin, and with big cities and sprawling farmland dominating its watershed, Lake Erie is severely impacted by human activities.

Can you drink from the Great Lakes?

The Great Lakes are an abundant source of fresh drinking water; with proper treatment, that water is safe to enjoy.

What is the least polluted Great Lake?

Lake Superior has the largest volume of all the Great Lakes. It is the coldest and deepest and because it has a cooler climate and poor soil conditions it is the least polluted.

What is the most dangerous Great Lake?

Lake Michigan is being called the “deadliest” of all the Great Lakes.

What is the most dangerous animal in the Great Lakes?

4 Dangerous Species that Swim in Lake Michigan's Waters

Snakehead.
Piranha.
Sea Lamprey.
Bull Shark.

Which country owns the Great Lakes?

The Great Lakes basin encompasses large parts of two nations, the United States and Canada. The Great Lakes basin is defined by science, engineering and politics.

Will the Great Lakes ever dry up?

The Great Lakes share a surprising connection with Wisconsin's small lakes and aquifers — their water levels all rise and fall on a 13-year cycle, according to a new study. But that cycle is now mysteriously out of whack, researchers have found.

What is wrong with the Great Lakes?

Threats to the Great Lakes' ecosystems, include invasive species, climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction. Climate change affects water temperatures, weather patterns, and lake levels. Pollutants from residential, agricultural, and industrial areas reduce water quality.

What great lake has the most shipwrecks?

The Great Lakes hold the secrets of about 8,000 shipwrecks. Lake Erie covers 2,000 of them, among the highest concentration of wrecks in the world.

Is Lake Michigan warm enough to swim in?

Lake Michigan is especially warm at the southern end and on the Michigan shoreline. ... The west wind blows the warm surface water over to the east side of Lake Michigan, and pulls cooler water up from deeper water depths on the west side of Lake Michigan. South Lake Michigan beaches are comfortable for swimming also.

Are there sharks in Lake Michigan?

No shark reports have been officially, “scientifically” documented in Lake Michigan. There have been “fin” sightings as was the case in Frankfort.

Why is Lake Michigan water so cold?

Strong and persistent winds from the north began blowing over Lake Michigan. You may think this pulled down cooler water from the north, but this unusually cold water actually came from deep within the lake's depths. The winds from the north are the cause, but the how is slightly more complex.

Why is Lake Erie so dangerous?

The reason: The water was contaminated with algae-like cyanobacteria, which can produce toxins that sicken people and kill pets. This is the noxious goo that cut off about 500,000 Toledo-area residents from their tap water for three days in 2014 and made at least 110 people ill.

What is the most dangerous thing in Lake Michigan?

Swift Currents Are The Real Danger

Not only is this lake massive - spanning 307 miles in either direction - but its shores also run parallel, causing unique wave shapes. Ths shapes of these waves are what contribute to rip tides, which are one of the most dangerous things swimmers can encounter in the water.

Why is Lake Michigan so dangerous?

LONSHORE CURRENTS

Longshore currents are caused by winds and waves hitting the shoreline at an angle and pushing water down the length of the beach in one direction. People caught in a longshore current can find themselves far down the beach from where they entered the water.