Have you noticed a shift in the winter weather? It seems like the winter timeline may be shrinking.

A recent study published in Environmental Research Letters reveals that Michigan winters—and those across the Great Lakes—are shrinking due to climate change.

What does this mean for Michigan and Midwest residents? Should we be worried?

Shorter Michigan Winters

Researchers found that the Midwest region has lost an average of 14 winter days per decade since 1995, largely because of the rising air temperatures.

The study, led by Eric Anderson, an environmental engineering professor at the Colorado School of Mines, focused on the changes in ice cover and surface water temperatures.

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Historically, the Great Lakes have been losing ice at a rate of 5% per decade, amounting to a total loss of 25% between 1973 and 2023. Anderson explained that winters are now marked by fewer days of ice cover and cold water temperatures.

Co-author Craig Stow, a NOAA scientist, noted that the Great Lakes’ annual thermal cycle is shifting. Winter days—defined in the study as those with ice cover or water temperatures below 2°C—are being replaced by conditions more typical of spring or fall. This trend is particularly evident along shorelines and bays, such as Green Bay and the Straits of Mackinac.

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How A Shorter Winter Can Affect Michigan

The changes could have significant implications for our Midwest region. Warmer lakes in the fall and earlier warming in the spring may extend algal bloom seasons, alter fish habitats, and majorly impact the $7 billion Great Lakes fishing industry. Additionally, longer ice-free periods may lengthen the shipping season but disrupt lake ecosystems.

These study findings highlight a broader global concern. Most of Earth's surface freshwater resides in large lakes like the Great Lakes, meaning these changes could signal ecosystem shifts worldwide. As Anderson puts it, "We’re losing half a month of winter every decade. That’s a significant transformation."

Researchers hope to explore whether these changes will accelerate in the future, underlining the urgency of addressing climate change.

You can read the full study here.

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