# Heat wave makes Lake Michigan.. colder? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 3, 2006, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heat-wave-makes-lake-michigan-colder/367259 "2006-08-03T23:04:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heat-wave-makes-lake-michigan-colder/367259/1 "2006-08-03T23:04:02Z")
Where I work, we look at water temps in Lake Michigan (Chicago area) daily. Here’s some temps from the previous week: 7/28 CHICAGO SHORE…77 CHICAGO CRIB…69 7/29 CHICAGO SHORE…79 CHICAGO CRIB…68 7/30 CHICAGO SHORE…79 CHICAGO CRIB…69 7/31 CHICAGO SHORE…77 CHICAGO CRIB…66 8/1 CHICAGO SHORE…76 CHICAGO CRIB…63 8/2 CHICAGO SHORE…58 CHICAGO CRIB…56 8/3 CHICAGO SHORE…62 CHICAGO CRIB…53 This coincides with a heat wave that has affected the region. So, what’s going on here? I’m guessing one of two things: 1. The temps aren’t accurate; 2. Something’s happening where warm water is descending or moving elsewhere horizontally, and colder water is rising/moving is from elsewhere. Anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heat-wave-makes-lake-michigan-colder/367259/2 "2006-08-03T23:08:41Z")
oh, and the links to the data FWIW: [SXUS83 KLOT - Google Search](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=SXUS83+KLOT&btnG=Search) ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heat-wave-makes-lake-michigan-colder/367259/3 "2006-08-03T23:20:33Z")
> [@Scruloose](#): > > So, what’s going on here? I’m guessing one of two things: > > 1. The temps aren’t accurate; > > 2. Something’s happening where warm water is descending or moving elsewhere horizontally, and colder water is rising/moving is from elsewhere. > > Anyone know? Couldn’t it be something as simple as [evaporative cooling?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evaporative_cooling) ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heat-wave-makes-lake-michigan-colder/367259/4 "2006-08-03T23:21:30Z")
> [@Scruloose](#): > > Something’s happening where warm water is descending or moving elsewhere horizontally, and colder water is rising/moving is from elsewhere. I believe the term is “current” as in the Gulf Stream current which is responisble for the even warm weather on the Burmuda island and the warmer than expected weather in Great Britan. ---
**Author:** ![Marathon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Marathon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marathon)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heat-wave-makes-lake-michigan-colder/367259/5 "2006-08-03T23:35:38Z")
> [@Scruloose](#): > > 1. Something’s happening where warm water is descending or moving elsewhere horizontally, and colder water is rising/moving is from elsewhere. That seems to be pretty much it: > [@](#): > > The same southwest winds stuffing hot air over the region blew away Chicago’s swimmable beachfront water early Wednesday, drawing up 56-degree water from deep in the lake to replace it. Temperatures like that are more typical of early November. From a [Chicago Tribune](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0608030159aug03,1,6508480.story?coll=chi-news-hed) article (which may require registration). ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heat-wave-makes-lake-michigan-colder/367259/6 "2006-08-03T23:46:07Z")
**Barrytown** - thanks! That does explain it. I see I wasn’t alone in doubting the readings; looks like I was in good company: > [@ChiTrib](#): > > Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2006. Chicago shore: 58 degrees. Chicago water crib three miles offshore: 56. Michigan City, Ind.: 51. > > “We had a long discussion this morning about whether or not to believe them,” said weather service meteorologist Paul Merzlock. “We decided it must be for real–not all the instruments could be going haywire at the same time.” > > It was very real, said Mike Quigley, an ecologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Mich. Several days of strong southwest winds pushed Illinois’ painstakingly amassed upper-70-degree water toward Michigan. Good find!