JONOV
Old Mossy Horns
It varies based on both snowfall and how cold the winter is. If it freezes over, then you lose less to evaporation. If you get a lot of snow, that affects it too. Typical max ice coverage is roughly 40%. Remember, the lake is an enormous body of water, and it takes a lot of energy to change its core temperature; any ice fisherman will tell you that the first water with safe ice is small, shallow lakes, and the last is the biggest and deepest. Conversely, they're also the last to thaw.Well written story Larry. Did you get to talk to locals? Are there still substantial numbers of birds in the area or has that changed as well?
I have not followed the issue of great lakes water levels, what has caused such an increase in just 10 years?
January 2019 saw 99% ice cover, and higher than average (though not abnormal) snowfall (at least for Milwaukee which I checked.)