Dear Tom,
What is the record high water temperature for Lake Michigan?
Rob
Dear Rob,
We checked the water temperature archives from the NOAA buoy anchored in southern Lake Michigan 50 miles east-southeast of Milwaukee. In the 23 years of data since 1981, the highest temperature ever recorded by the sensor, located 2 feet below the surface, was an 81.3 (degrees) reading on Aug. 18, 1995. That temperature can be directly attributed to that year’s very hot Midwestern summer, which included Chicago’s killer July heat wave that resulted in more than 750 fatalities.
Open lake buoy data was not available before 1981, but Chicago area near-shore records include one of the highest water temperatures in prior years–a 79 (degrees) reading taken in August of 1941 at the Harrison-Dever Crib, located 3 miles offshore just north of the Loop.
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN-TV News at noon and 9 p.m.
Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Pl., Chicago, IL 60618 or asktomwhy@wgntv.com (Mail volume precludes personal response.)
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