It never even occurred to me that the "lake effect" would work in the opposite direction. Water's ability to retain heat is really amazing.
> People have no idea how fast global warming is happening.
For people that live near the Great Lakes, you may have stumbled onto a very compelling bit of evidence. For many, "rising ocean temperatures" is a whole world away. Whereas this kind of phenomenon is much easier to grasp.
The water table is at ground level September to April here. The ground only froze the first year we moved in, the waters keeping the heat.
I noticed that same effect with season extenders. They average out the temperatures using the raised soil as the heatsink. We harvested fresh greens from the garden on Christmas Day in Chicago, that was 5 years ago.
I just talked to a guy at a bar who's been here since the 70s, he's harvesting grapes a month early.
People who grow things know. Its everyone else I think we have to convince.
Lake Michigan is famously terribly cold to swim in. However this year I’ve found it mostly comfortable, almost as comfortable as a swimming pool. Looking online, it’s above 70 degrees! https://apps.glerl.noaa.gov/marobs/php/data.php?sta=0
Up in Door County the lake would freeze enough to ski on, but nowadays, well good luck with that.
> People have no idea how fast global warming is happening.
For people that live near the Great Lakes, you may have stumbled onto a very compelling bit of evidence. For many, "rising ocean temperatures" is a whole world away. Whereas this kind of phenomenon is much easier to grasp.