Winter climatology and ice characteristics : St. Marys River-Whitefish Bay waterway

"On a regional basis the thermal behavior of Lake Superior and its interaction with the atmosphere in late fall and early winter promote widely varying temperature and snowfall patterns around the lake periphery. Field investigations indicate that snow-ice layers make up a large portion of the total ice thickness at select sites around the lake and on the St. Marys River Waterway. On a local waterway scale for the St. Marys River, temperature controls on ice thicknesses and structures appear to be more significant at river sites where ice is more stable for a larger part of the ice season. Further, assessing the thermal control on ice behavior by only one meteorological station far removed from river sites is susceptible to misrepresentation of actual on-the-site temperature regimes. Field observations of radiation, temperature, wind, ice thickness and structure indicate a close relation between climatic parameters and ice growth and decay. Just analyzing one isolated parameter, usually freezing degree days, is not justified in predicting ice growth and changes in ice structure. De-icing schemes, particularly dusting with darkened materials, must account for climatic factors to be successfully implemented. There is a marginal probability of successful deicing by dusting for the St. Marys River as suggested by an analysis of solar radiation and air temperature."