• Wednesday-What'sUP April 11 - 08:38 pm

There has been quite a bit of talk about the lake levels being down this year and thanks to Paul Roberts, we get a current look at Lake Superior. Paul took these shots on Easter Sunday, but didn't say exactly where. I'm assuming this is the north end of the Keweenaw (Eagle River?), where there's a lot more shoreline this year. The lake effect snow last week pulled even more out of Superior, and now the sandy looking ice shelf pours it back in, but not enough to bring the water line up to where it normally is. You can find out more about the levels of the Great Lakes at the NOAA website.

Now that's what I call some great pictures of the lake.

They actually look like rocks.

Yes Mary. The pictures were taken in Eagle River. Well down the beach from Eagle River anyway. I parked at Fitzgeralds and walked down the beach from there.

I'm trying to gauge just how tall that shelf face is. I'm guessing 4-5 ft. thick at the edge. Neat shot no matter what!! If I had to take a stab at a location I would say 5 mile point or near that area.

Lake Superior, like anything else on earth, is cyclical. The lake has its up and down days (or years for that matter), but in time the lake will probably return to its normal levels. Also remember that the entire basin is undergoing glacial rebound so while the lake level is down on the grand scale, eventually it will seem like the lake is higher because the entire lake is shifting southward and will someday gobble up the beaches on the south shore. Canada, on the other hand, will gain land and beaches because of this same southward movement of the lake.

Last Summer I could paddle my canoe where the rocks stick up now. A few years ago I could use my little electric motor to cruise across the same spot. Now I have a new island emerging.

wow thats so pretty

Alicia Marshall (Aliciak), sent me this shot from the Copper Harbor webcam, snapped at 8:17 this morning. Nice sunrise up the shoreline a few miles from today's photos above. Not sure what the purple spot in the sunrise is though, maybe it's a leftover jellybean from Sunday? :->

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh What beautiful pictures ..... Thank you so much !!!!

I am gonna brush my teeth then hit the road for Eagle Harbor to visit my buddy Mary ...... I can hardly wait to get there after seeing these pictures.....

You all have a blessed day %^)

All are great pictures, my Aunt & uncle have a place on the lake in cedarville. Their level goes up and down, trolling motor is used quite often with waders to get the boats out.

I received this note from Meteorologist John Dee, with a clarification on the statement above, saying that the "lake effect snow last week pulled even more out of Superior"...

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Quote:

"Your note on today's (April 11) pasty picture was brought to my attention. While last weeks lake effect snow did originate from the big lake, evaporation is constantly going on and actually occurs at a much higher rate when the temps are warm vs. when the temps are cold. So while the results of the evaporation last week were much more noticeable (in the form of all the snow) the actual evaporation off the lake was smaller than had the temps been warmer, say in the mid 40's as is average for this time of the year. Maximum evaporation off the lakes occur in the summer when the temps are warmest and the least amount of evaporation occurs in the the cold months, even though that is when the evaporation is most noticeable.

Sort of like putting two pots of equal size water on a stove. One gets the heat and the other does not. The pot over the heat will lose it's water due to evaporation much sooner than the one not over the heat. "

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Besides the beauty of the UP, I appreciate the knowledge I gain from all the different sources of the pasty site. Thanks all. We need to remember every day the wonders of our surrounding world where ever we are but especially the Copper Country

My bosses daughter said "April snow showers bring dead may flowers" gotta love 3rd graders.