Dear Tom,
How big is Lake Michigan and how does it affect the weather?
–Janet
Dear Janet,
Lake Michigan is the third largest Great Lake (after Superior and Huron). It boasts more than 1,600 miles of shoreline and covers more than 22,000 square miles. It is more than 300 miles long and nearly 120 miles wide. The average depth is about 280 feet and its deepest part, 925 feet, is east of Manitowoc and Two Rivers, Wis. The lake has a great deal of influence on the surrounding area’s weather. Among the most important; it keeps areas near the lake cooler in summer and warmer in winter, extending the growing season by several weeks as compared to inland areas. It causes more cloudiness and generates both lake-effect rain and snow but often suppresses thunderstorm development in the warm season.
———-
Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Pl., Chicago, IL 60618 or: asktomwhy@wgntv.com
Weather Report is prepared by the WGN-TV Weather Center, where Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN News at 11:30 a.m., 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
WGN-TV meteorologists Steve Kahn, Richard Koeneman and Paul Dailey plus weather producer Bill Snyder contribute to this page.
Weather updates: Search for forecasts by ZIP code and radar images at chicagotribune.com/weather or wgntv.com
