Reporter joins Great Lakes divers at what may be Le Griffon shipwreck
I went skin-diving in Lake Michigan over wreckage that my guides say is the oldest shipwreck in the Great Lakes. Watch my video to see what I saw. . .
- Great Lakes water temperatures are currently warm enough for swimming, but thunderstorms pose a risk.
- Swimmers should be cautious of cold shock in waters below 60 degrees.
Need a break from Michigan’s hot and hazy weather? All of the Great Lakes are seeing warmer temperatures this week, making the water warm enough to hop in this weekend. However, swimmers should be aware of potential thunderstorms.
Lakes Erie, Huron, Michigan Ontario all have posted readings at or above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, although lake temperatures typically don’t peak until late summer/early fall, according to GLISA.
In Lake Superior, the high temperatures were around 66 degrees.
Swimming is most comfortable in lake waters at about 70 degrees, according to Swimoutlet.com.
Here’s how warm — or cold — the Great Lakes are as of July 17:
What’s the temperature of Lake Erie?
Lake Erie, the shallowest of the Great Lakes, reached 81.9 degrees near Port Clinton, Ohio.
Lake Erie reaches an average of 76.1 degrees Fahrenheit in August.
Current temperatures for Lake Erie:
- Monroe, Michigan: 81.1
- Gibralter, Michigan: 76.6
- Grosse Ile, Michigan: 76.5
“Lake Erie has an average depth of about 62 feet and a maximum depth of 210 feet,” according to the Great Lakes Commission.
What’s the temperature of Lake Huron?
The warmest water temperature in Lake Huron was 80.1 degrees in Sebewaing, Michigan.
Lake Huron reaches an average of 69.1 degrees Fahrenheit in August.
Current temperatures near Michigan cities on Lake Huron:
- Saginaw Bay: 79.7
- Au Gres: 76.3
- Port Crescent: 74.5
- Alpena: 71.1
- Tawas City: 75
- Port Huron: 74.3
- Drummond Island: 68
- Mackinac Island: 67.6
- Port Sanilac: 71.4
“The lake measures 206 miles across and 183 miles north to south, with an average depth of 195 feet (approximately 750 feet, maximum),” according to the Great Lakes Commission.
What’s the temperature of Lake Ontario?
The warmest water temperature in Lake Ontario on July 17 was 77.9 degrees near Dexter, Ontario.
Lake Ontario reaches an average of 72.9 degrees Fahrenheit in August.
Current temperatures for Lake Ontario:
- Niagara Falls, Canada: 74.8
- Kingston, Canada: 75.2
- Hamilton, Canada: 74.1
” Lake Ontario is similar to Lake Erie in length and breadth (193 miles by 53 miles). Yet with its greater average depth (approximately 283 feet), Lake Ontario holds almost four times the volume (395 cubic miles) and has a retention time of about 6 years,” according to the Great Lakes Commission.
What’s the temperature of Lake Michigan?
Lake Michigan’s average temperature was 71.8 degrees, according to Seatemperature.com as of July 17.
Lake Michigan reaches an average of 68 degrees Fahrenheit in August.
Recorded temperatures near Michigan cities on Lake Michigan:
- St. Joseph: 77.2
- Benton Harbor: 77.4
- Escanaba: 71.5
- Saugatuck: 76.5
- Holland: 75.9
- Grand Haven: 75
- Mackinaw City: 68.5
- Hoffmaster State Park: 73.9
- Traverse City: 70.5
- Pentwater: 71.2
- Ludington: 71.8
- Manistee: 70.3
- Charlevoix: 68.9
“Averaging 279 feet in depth, the lake reaches 925 feet at its deepest point,” according to the Great Lakes Commission.
What’s the temperature of Lake Superior?
The coldest lake is Lake Superior, with its warmest water temperature of 66.6 degrees at Ashland, Wisconsin, on July 17.
Lake Superior reaches an average of 64.6 degrees Fahrenheit in August.
Current temperatures for Michigan towns on Lake Superior:
- Paradise: 65.3
- Sault Ste. Marie: 61.7
- Ontonagon: 63.1
- Marquette: 63.5
- Grand Marais: 54.3
- Copper Harbor: 50.2
” With an average depth approaching 500 feet, Superior also is the coldest and deepest (1,332 feet) of the Great Lakes. The lake stretches approximately 350 miles from west to east, and 160 miles north to south, with a shoreline almost 2,800 miles long,” according to the Great Lakes Commission.
When will it be warm enough to swim in Great Lakes?
Temperatures climb in the spring and summer months, reaching peak temperatures in the late summer and early fall, according to GLISA, a collaborative between Michigan State University, University of Michigan and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
What happens when you swim in lakes when it’s too cold?
The National Weather Service says your body can enter a cold shock if exposed to water between 50 and 60 degrees, spiking an elevation in heart rate, blood pressure and eventually panic, fear and stress.
Prolonged exposure could result in loss of muscle control in your arms, legs, hands and feet, triggering hypothermia among other things that can be fatal.
Swimming during a thunderstorm? Experts say no
If a severe thunderstorm is likely to occur in your area, state officials say you should seek shelter immediately. If there is no place to shelter, seek low level ground that is away from trees and metal objects.
Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected].
