On The Lake Archives

2016 On The Lake

Year in Review 2016- April 2017

February 18 - Lowest temperature of winter -11.

March 17 - Ice goes out of Lake Mitchell -3rd earliest date since 1934.

April 10 - Last measurably snowfall. One inch

May 5/11 Coves/canal surveyed to locate milfoil

May 16 Coves treated 30 acres of milfoil in 4 coves

May 25-26 Main Lake surveyed (1600 GPS points)

June 1-2 71 acres of milfoil treated in main lake

October 7-14 Peak fall colors

November 18 First snowstorm - Two inches

December 10 Lake Mitchell freezes

December 17 Eight inches of snow falls

December 26 Fifty mph winds. Power outages in area.

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. 


2015 On The Lake

January – Average temperature is 6 degrees below average; Jan. 2014 was 8 degrees below average.

February 20 – low temp was minus 30; high temp of day was 1 degree.

Feb. 23 - low temp was minus 29.

Feb. 27 - low temp was minus 27

February - Coldest February ever; average temperature was 6.2 degrees; that's 14.5 degrees below normal. 2nd coldest month ever.

March 21 this was 4th coldest winter in last 30 years.

April 10 - Ice goes out of Lake Mitchell

June 1 - 1st treatment of coves, canal, and shallow water areas

June 17-18 – Herbicide treatment done on main lake

July 27 – Franke South and Little Coves receive 2nd treatment

July 28 – Hottest day of summer 91, one of several 90 degree days

July 31 - Additional treatment for canal and Little Cove

August 5 – Treatment 30 acres new milfoil, 2 acres retreatment

August – Canal and Franks Cove are harvested

October 8—13 Peak fall color

November 2-5 – 4 days of near record temperatures 67-73

November was 2nd warmest on record. El Nino weather pattern is here.

December 23 – Temp. soars to 57; a record

December 24 - Overnight windstorm blows down trees on Mitchell shoreline

December 25 – No snow on ground for Christmas

December 28 – Winter begins. Snow cover will continue until

December 30 – Lake Mitchell freezes. Latest date ever.

December - warmest on record; 12 degrees above normal. Normal temperature is 23.5 degrees. 

Click/Touch on a photo for full size pictures with captions. 


2014 On The Lake

2014- April 2015: Lake Mitchell year in review

 

2014

January 6-9 - Coldest since 1994. Polar Vortex brings high winds, single digit temps. Pipes freeze and sometimes break.

January 25 – 10 ½ inches of snow falls.

January 27-28 – Polar Vortex returns more pipes burst.

January average temperature is 13.

February 20-21 – Barometer drops to 28.9. Wind gusts approach 50 mph.

February 28 – Cadillac snow totals 152 inches. Normal winter is 125 inches.

March 9 – Lake Michigan is 93% frozen breaking 35 year old record.

April 12-13 – Heavy rains flood Lake Mitchell roads & destroy 13th St. culvert.

April 21 – Ice out on Lake Mitchell; 3rd latest in last 40 years

April 28 – Strong east winds send waves flooding yards on west shore.

June 26 – 135 acres of milfoil treated compared to 430 acres in 2013.

Summer was 6th coolest in last 31 years.

September 2 – 6000 gallons of sewage leaks into East Lake Mitchell Drive wetlands when sewage pump fails.

Sept. 26 – Oct. 16 – Fall color peak weeks. Many say “Best color ever.”

November 18 – Foot of snow falls, biggest storm of 2014-15 winter.

November 19 – Lake Mitchell freezes. Ties record for earliest since 1983.

November 27 - Lake reopens (and refreezes on November 30)

December 25 – Almost a green Christmas, just a dusting of snow

 

2015

January – Average temperature is 6 degrees below average; Jan. 2014 was 8 degrees below average.

February 20 – low temp was minus 30; high temp of day was 1 degree.

Feb. 23 - low temp was minus 29.

Feb. 27 - low temp was minus 27

February - Coldest February ever; average temperature was 6.2 degrees; that's 14.5 degrees below normal. 2nd coldest month ever.

March 21 - Winter snowfall was about average, but overall from Dec.1 – March 21 this was 4th coldest winter in last 30 years.

 

Click on a photo to see a slideshow of full size photos and captions. 


2013 On The Lake

Reviewing February 2013 – April 2014 on Lake Mitchell

 

2013

February and March – more snow and cold than recent years.

April 6-10 - Rainy days floods yards bringing lake level way up.

April 24 – Ice goes out of Lake Mitchell on latest date since 1975.

April 25 – Fresh snowfall covers ground.

May 12 – Dusting of snow ends unusually cold wet spring.

June 20 – Chemical treatment of 420 acres of milfoil.

July 12 -- Purple Loosestrife beetle stocking in coves.

July 14-19 Record heat – six days in 90s including peaks of 96, 96, & 97.

July 18 – Chemical treatment of coves and canal.

August - Unusually hot – many days in 80s.

August 10 – Lake Mitchell expo at Cherry Grove Township Hall.

August 14 – Second herbicide treatment and re-treatment.

October 7-13 – Peak week for fall color in Cadillac area.

November 27 – Lake Mitchell freezes.

Oct.,Nov. Dec. - Colder than normal months.

 

2014

January 6-9 - Coldest since 1994. Polar Vortex brings high winds, single digit temps. Pipes freeze and sometimes break.

January 25 – 10 ½ inches of snow falls.

January 27-28 – Polar Vortex returns more pipes burst.

January average temperature is 13.

February 20-21 – Barometer drops to 28.9. Wind gusts approach 50 mph.

February 28 – Cadillac snow totals 152 inches. Normal winter is 125 inches.

March 9 – Lake Michigan is 93% frozen breaking 35 year old record.

 

Click on a photo to see a slideshow of full size photos and captions. 


2012 On The Lake

January/February – Mild winter, few frigid days, no major snows.

March 2-3 – Season's biggest storm 14 inches snow,1000s lose power.

March 7 – Spring arrives. Fifty degree days.

March 14 – Temperature reaches record 78 degrees.March 17 – Lake Mitchell ice goes out. 2ndearliest opening since 1934.

March/ April – Many record high temperatures.

June 8 – Kenneth Coty of Merrill drowns in Lake Mitchell

June 11 – Coves and Torenta canal receives chemical treatment

June 13 – 239 acres of hybrid milfoil chemically treated.

July 15 – Galerucella beetles planted in coves to eat loosestrife plants.

Summer – Cadillac records 2nd hottest summer. Many days in the 90s.

August/September – Water levels drop but rebound in October.

1stweek of October – Peak color. Many call it best leaf show ever.

December 11 – Lake Mitchell freezes, then opens.

December – Lake Mitchell refreezes.

December 20-21 – Near blizzard brings 8 inches of snow.

December 25 - Only 2 inches of snow on the ground.

January 2013 - 1st week warm and rainy, 3rd week bitter cold, 4th week warm. Snow cover peaks at six inches.

 

Click on a photo to see a slideshow of full size photos and captions. 


2011 On The Lake

February 2-3 Blizzard-like conditions drop 9 inches of snow.

March 23 - Late season storm brings 10 inches of snow.

March 25 - Coldest morning of winter -13

April 8 - Last day for safe ice fishing. Longest fishing season in memory.

April 11- Ice goes out after spectacular warm up.

April 20 - 3 to 7 inches of wet snow closes schools.

April 26-28 - Three days of rain raises lake. Lowland flooding occurs.

June 15-17 - Chemical treatment of 295 acres of Eurasian water milfoil

July, August - Summer is hot and dry. Numerous days in the low 90s.

September – Dry month drops water level to lowest since 2007.

October – Wet autumn brings water levels back to normal.

December 10 - Lake Mitchell freezes

December 15 - All ice disappears on lake

December 17th - Lake Mitchell refreezes

December 25 - Barely a white Christmas - 1” of snow on the ground.

 

2012

January 1-2 Winter begins. Snowstorm drops six to eight inches.

January 13 - Temp reaches 50. Snow disappears. Bicycles return to roads.

January 14 – Winter returns.

 

Click on a photo to see a slideshow of full size photos and captions. 


2010 On The Lake

March 25 -After a relatively mild winter, the ice goes out about two weeks earlier than normal.

April 29 - DNR conducts walleye shocking. Finds good crop of young walleye.

May 24-29 - Temperature hits 90 degrees and stays in 80s for a week capping a warm spring.

May 28-29 &31 - Survey team marks 1686 GPS points to pinpoint location of Eurasian Water Milfoil.

June 8 & 9 - Lake receives chemical application.

June 10 - Chladophora is harvested in Camp Torenta Canal.

June 14 & 15 - Initial treatment is completed.

June 23 - Harvesting begins in cove areas.

July 6-11 - Daytime highs range 85-91 degrees, This summer will be remembered as hot.

July 13 - 3.5 inches of rain.

July 24 - Report at Improvement Board meeting shows 357 acres of milfoil treated and 27 acres harvested.

August 18 - Survey shows 35 lakefront properties withFor Sale signs. Surveys in previous years show 30-33 For Sale properties.

October 10 - Fall colors peak.

October 26 & 27 - 30 mph winds down power lines. West Lake Mitchell loses power for 50 hours.

December 3 - Lake Mitchell freezes.

December 11-12 - Near blizzard dumps 14 inches of snow.

 

Click on a photo to see a slideshow of full size photos and captions. 

2009 On The Lake

January 12-18- Coldest week in a decade lows range from -7 to -22.

February 20- Cadillac reaches 207 inches of snow. The most since records were began in 1960s.

April 4 - Ice goes out ending snowiest coldest winter of the decade.

April 5 – Sod island breaks loose in Little Cove and drifts across lake.

April 15 – Lakesider newsletter mailed. www.lakemitchell.org updated.

May 15 – Large snail die-off occurs, probably because of sudden change of lake water temperature.

May 18 –Roadside pickup of weeds begins

May 28-31 – Lakeshore Environmental Inc conducts 990 GPS point survey of Lake Mitchell and finds 412 acres of Eurasian water milfoil (EWM).

June 2-4 – Initial chemical herbicide treatment.

June – Dredging begins in South Franke Cove in $119,000 project financed by cove property owners.

June 9 - Major algae bloom covers lake for six weeks. Algae isn’t just on Mitchell, the bloom occurred on many lakes throughout the state.

June 24 – Temperature hits 90 degrees for the only time of what will be remembered as a cold summer.

June 25 – Harvesting begins in coves.

July 10th – 10,000 milfoil-eating weevils put in Big Cove by Mitchell Creek.

August 2-4 - Harvester returns

August 11 –Survey finds of 55 acres of EWM. Twenty acres located where 2-4-D was used in June along with 35 acres of new plants.

September brings the warm weather July and August didn’t provide.

September 10 – Roadside pickup of weeds ends.

October - Twice the average rainfall. Temperature averages 10 degrees below normal degrees.

November was unseasonably warm.

December 8 – Lakes Mitchell and Cadillac freeze 2 weeks later than usual.

December 9-10 – Schools close for two days as 12-15 inches of snow falls.