On The Lake -- Looking Back
Sixteen Months on Lake Mitchell
2021 - 2022
January - Temp averages 4.5 degrees warmer. Much less snow.
November, December 2020 and January 2021 all average 4 ½ to 5 ½ degrees warmer than normal.
February 5 – Blustery 8 inches of fresh snow.
February 6 – 16 Into the deep freeze. Lows around 0. Highs low teens.
February 17 Coldest temp. since March , 2015.... -16
February averages 2 degrees colder than normal.
Winter snowfall was below average.
March 8 - Red winged blackbirds return
March 9 – Canada geese fly over
March 18 – Robins return
March 19 - Sandhill cranes fly over
March 20 – Trumpeter swans in Big Cove.
March 24 – Lake Mitchell is 90% open.
March 26 -Blue heron in Little Cove
March 30 – Peepers start cheeping
March weather - after cold start averaged 5 degrees above normal.
Overall not a snowy winter – Lake levels are low
April - much warmer than average
May 12 – First oriole was seen.
May 13 – Hummingbird appears at feeder
May 25 – Fire burns 400 acres near Manistee River. Planes scoop water from Lake Mitchell to fight fire.
May 29 – Peeper frogs stop peeping
August 8-9 – 4 ½ inches of rain
August 10-11 – Windstorm blows down trees. Lake Mitchell loses power.
September – Huge numbers of acorns drop from oaks.
October 11 – Record warmth 78 degrees.
October 18 – First frost. Much later than usual.
October 20-30 – Fall colors peak 2 weeks later than usual.
October - average 4-5 degrees warmer than usual.
November 3 – First snow cover. Gone by noon.
November – unseasonably warm
December 6-7 – 10-12 inches of snow falls. Barometer goes to 28.9
December 11 – Lake Mitchell freezes
December 16 – Lake Mitchell opens. Trees down. Power outages.
December 19 – Lake Mitchell refreezes.
December 25 – Green Christmas. No snow
January/February – Slightly colder than normal. Much less snow
March 3rd – First Canada geese fly over.
March 8 – Red-winged blackbirds return
2020
January – Mild month, daytime highs often 30s; only 1 (-3) sub-zero AM.
February – Warmer than normal.
March 4 – Canada geese return to Clam River.
March 7 -Red winged blackbirds return to swamps
March 18 – Merganser ducks in Canal
March 22 - 1st robin in yard
March 23 – Grackles arrive
March 30 – Lake Mitchell is ice-free. Lake Cadillac opened 3/29.
April 1 - Swamp wakes up – peepers, chorus and wood frogs sing.
April 2 - Sandhill cranes arrive
April 6 – Trumpeter swans in Little Cove
April 12 – Loons arrive in Lake Mitchell
May 10 – Orioles appear at feeder
May 16 - 1st Hummingbird
May 17-18 – High winds and 3 inches of rain.
June 1 - Survey of lake found 28 acres of Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM)
June 2 – Mayfly hatch. Much smaller than years ago. But still a return.
June 2 - 1st 90 degree day.
June 9 – 28 acres treated and snapping turtles laying eggs.
June 20 – Fireflies light up the night.
June 26- July 12 - 16 days of 80+ degree high temps. 8 days reached 90
July 7 – Retreatment of locations still having nuisance weeds or milfoil
July 19 – Hard Rain. 2 ¼ inches in1 ¼ hours.
July 20 - Grackles and red winged blackbirds depart
August 6 – Survey of lake found 36 acres of EWM
August 10 – 33 acres treated
August 20 – 6 acres treated
Hot summer – numerous 80 to 90 days.
September 27- October 15 – Peak fall colors.
November 1 - First light covering of snow.
November 6-10 - Record heat. Highs in the 70s.
December 15 – Lake Mitchell freezes.
2021
January - Temp averages 4.5 degrees warmer. Much less snow.
November, December 2020 and January 2021 all average 4 ½ to 5 ½ degrees warmer than normal.
February 5 – Blustery 8 inches of fresh snow.
February 6 – 16 Into the deep freeze. Lows around 0. Highs low teens.
February 17 Coldest temp. since March , 2015.... -16
February averages 2 degrees colder than normal.
Winter snowfall was below average.
March 8 - Red winged blackbirds return
March 9 – Canada geese over arrive.
March 18 – Robins return
March 19 - Sandhill cranes fly over
March 20 – Trumpeter swans in Big Cove.
March 24 – Lake Mitchell is 90% open.
March 26 -Blue heron in Little Cove
March weather - after cold start averaged 5 degrees above normal.
Overall not a snowy winter – Lake levels are low
April - much warmer than average
2019 On The Lake
Looking back, 16 months on Lake Mitchell – January 2019-April 2020
2019
January 19 – 31 – COLD! Sub-zero nights, daytime highs in the teens.
January 28-30 – Polar Vortex extreme cold and wind. No mail delivery 1/30. State declares cold emergency. Nightly lows -17 & -19.
February 24 – Blizzard – Many roads closed
This February was one of snowiest on record.
March 10 - 24'' of snow on ground.
March 14 -Canada geese and red winged blackbirds return.
Cadillac Schools closed for record 17 days this winter Usually about 5.
April 8 – Sandhill cranes appear along lake
April 12 – Ice is out on lake Mitchell
April 14 – 2 inches of snow falls. Spring struggles to arrive
April 16 - Wood frogs and peepers sing from the swamp lands
April 22 – First blue heron appears on lake
June 3 – Franke South Cove treated for nuisance weeds
June 4 – First noticeable hatch of mayflies in 25 years
June 14-15 – Four pelicans stopover in Big and Little Cove
June 18 - Main Lake/ Little/Big Cove treated for milfoil
August 18 - Little Cove, Franke North, and main lake treated
September – 7 ½ inches of rain, double the average.
October 11-17 – Peak color in Cadillac area
October 31 – 2 inches of snow falls. Early snow ends cold autumn.
November 13 – Lake Mitchell freezes
November 27 – Lake reopens, I go kayaking
November's avg. temp 31; 5 degrees colder than avg. since 2000
2020
December 1 – 6'' of snow falls/ lakes refreeze
December 3 – Cross country skiing begins on forest trails
January avg. temp was 27; 8 degrees warmer than 20 yr avg.
February 9 – 6 inches of snow
2018 On The Lake
Looking back,16 months on Lake Mitchell –Jan. 2018 – Apr. 2019
2018
January 5 & 6 Low temperatures of -23 and -28.
February 18 - spring warmup – no snow and daytime highs not below freezing until Mach 6
February 26- Canada geese return, a sign of spring.
February 27 – Redwinged blackbirds return.
March 26 – Ice goes off Lake Mitchell
April 8 - Record low temperature -3 degrees, Lakes refreeze for 24 hours.
April 13- 17 - Stormy period – rain then 4-6” of snow.
April 20 – Lake Cadillac refreezes for one day.
April 21 – Spring arrives! 50 and 60 degree temps.
May 24-30 – Hot days - highs range from 85-90.
June 19 - 60.8 acres Eurasian watermilfoil treated in Main Lake/Big Cove
June 20 - Little and Frankes Coves treated.
July 18 - Algae harvested in Torenta Canal
June-July - Lots of hot days. Occasionally 90+ degrees.
August 27 – Big windstorm gusts to 60 mph. Lake Mitchell loses power for 25 hours. Major damage south of M55.
October – Generally a cold rainy month.
October 6-10 Peak fall color
October 20 - 1st ground cover of snow.
November 18 – Mitchell nearly completely frozen.
November 18 - Caberfae has 2nd earliest opening on record.
December 12 – Lake is officially frozen.
Mid- Dec. – Jan. 15 -Winter is no-show. No XC skiing/snowmobiling.
2019
January 19 – 31 – COLD!
January 28-30 – Polar Vortex extreme cold and wind. No mail delivery 1/30. State declares cold emergency. Nightly lows -17 & -19.
February 24 – Blizzard – Many roads closed
This February was one of snowiest on record.
March 10 - 24'' of snow on ground.
March 14 -Canada geese and red winged blackbirds return.
Cadillac Schools closed for 17 days this winter. A record. Usually about 5.
Looking back, 16 months on Lake Mitchell -- January 2017 – April 2018
2017
January -February – Warmer than typical winter, very little snowfall in February
February 24 – Ice storm causes 12 hr power outage for much of Lake Mitchell area.
March 7-8 – High winds, gusts to 45 mph create some power outages.
March 14 – Last measurable snowfall – ½ inch
March 28 – Ice is off the lake
April 2 – Frog chorus begins, peepers and wood frogs sing out
May 19 – Coves are surveyed
May 25 – Little Cove is treated
May 30 - Main lake is surveyed
May 31 – Pelican spends day on the lake
June 8 – Main Lake, Franke Coves, Torenta Canal, and Big Cove treated
September 21-26 - Heat records for six days. Highs 87 to 91. 24-27 degrees above normal
October 9 - 19 – Fall colors peak
October 22-25 – 6 inches of rain in 70 hours
October 31 – First measurable snow – ½ inch
December 5 -High winds – power outages
December 18 – Lake Mitchell freezes
December 25 to January 7 Daytime highs in teens. Lows below zero to single digits.
2018
January 5 & 6 Low temperatures of -23 and -28.
February 18 - spring warmup – no snow and daytime highs not below freezing until Mach 6
February 26 Canada geese return, a sign of spring.
March 26 – Ice goes off Lake Mitchell
March 31- April 6 - Three storms drop 10 inches of snow.
April 8 - Record low temperature -3 degrees, Lakes refreeze for 24 hours.
April 14 - April temperatures averages 10 to16 degrees below normal.
As newsletter goes to press (April 14) spring is still a no-show.
On the Lake Archives -- Highlights from previous years...Click Here.