Ice Cave Sunset by Heather Higham
mLive reports that a La Niña weather system has officially developed & is likely to continue through winter:
La Niña is when the equatorial Pacific waters turn cooler than normal. If the cooler than normal water continues into the northern hemisphere winter, there can be some alteration to normal jetstream patterns.
…an average jetstream position south of Michigan with the center of an upper-level through over the Great Lakes brings an area of wetter than normal conditions to the Ohio Valley and southern Great Lakes. This area of wetter weather includes the southern part of Michigan.
So in looking at the general effects of La Niña on Michigan’s winter, we have in the past leaned toward colder than normal with some increase in snow amounts.
…Lower Michigan as averaging four to 12 inches above normal on snowfall during La Niña winters. The western half of the U.P. also shows a slightly above normal snowfall pattern during La Niña. The lake-effect snowbelts of northwest and southwest Lower don’t show an increase in snow, but do show normal amounts. Normal amounts of snow in the snowbelts is plenty of snow for snow-lovers.
Heather took this shot of an ice formation on Lake Michigan at Elk Rapids back in January of 2015. See more in her ice formations gallery & definitely follow Heather on Facebook & @SnapHappyMichigan on Instagram!
More ice caves on Michigan in Pictures! <–trust me – some more awesome pics there!
Michigan in Pictures 
as an 82 year old woman who grew up in the hills of NE PA, I have been mostly disappointed in the snowfalls in Adrian, MI. Perhaps this year we will have a real Winter…no ice, more snow. One can only hope.
LikeLike