Analysis of Interannual Variability of Great Lakes Ice Cover, 2012-2017

Session: 52. - Climate Interactions with Large Lakes? Physical Systems

Jia Wang, NOAA, GLERL, [email protected]
James Kessler, University of Michigan, [email protected]
Franky Hang, University of Michigan, [email protected]
Haoguo Hu, CIGLR, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, [email protected]
Anne Clites, NOAA, GLERL, [email protected]
Brent Lofgren, NOAA/GLERL, [email protected]
Philip Chu, NOAA/GLERL, [email protected]

Abstract

The 6-winter (2012-2017) digital ice cover data set includes 996 ice charts of total ice concentration, which were added to GLERL’s ice dataset. This work updates GLERL’s 45-winter ice climatology dataset, 1973-2017. This study analyzes the 2012-2017 ice cycles in the Great Lakes region through dates of first (last) ice, ice duration, ice cover distribution, ice cover anomalies, and ice cover seasonal progression. During this period, four winters experienced very low ice cover (2012, 13, 16, and 17), while there was severe ice cover in 2013-14, and 2014-15 winters. This analysis reveals the strong interannual variability of lake ice cover, and its association to teleconnection patterns such as ENSO and NAO, as well as AMO and PDO.

1. Keyword
El Niño

2. Keyword
climatic data

3. Keyword
atmosphere-lake interaction