Although the summer drought was acute in northern Illinois, all cities around the Great Lakes reported hot and dry conditions–some even into September. The cause is clear: Drought reduces rainfall and stream flow into the lakes, and increased sunshine promotes evaporation, lowering lake levels. At the same time, lake temperatures were already high early on, and the hot summer kept them warm all the way to the present, with Lake Superior especially warm. Consequences for the upcoming winter should include falling water levels (due to normal seasonal drops and increased evaporation), which may trigger less ice cover and increased lake-effect snow.
Sources: Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
WGN-TV/Dennis Haller
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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.
WGN-TV meteorologists Steve Kahn, Richard Koeneman and Dennis Haller plus weather producer Bill Snyder contribute to this page.
