A warm summer and cold early winter are dumping Lake Michigan moisture in the lake effect belt...this article is the first in memory that suggests not all of the water will flow back and replenish it.
Lake-effect snow is covering ski hills, cross-country paths and snowmobile trails.
But it also is taking precious water from the Big Lake, likely leaving a little less for summer frolicking in the waves.
While much of the snow trickles back to Lake Michigan during the spring meltdown, one Great Lakes researcher figures it makes a difference.
"If you have a sudden warm-up in February where the ground is still frozen, some of the snow will just evaporate and be lost," said Cynthia Sellinger, a hydrologist with the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor.
http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-26/1135266402233260.xml&coll=6
Posted by Dave at December 23, 2005 09:18 AM