According to researchers with the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab: "Average ice cover on the Great Lakes dropped to one of the lowest levels on record this winter as the region has witnessed warmer than normal temperatures... This year has tied with 1998 and 2020 for the third-lowest average ice cover on the Great Lakes....This year has tied with 1998 and 2020 for the third-lowest average ice cover on the Great Lakes,"

Not sure how that will affect, or correspond with, what happens in the BWCA, but there it is.

There is no correlation to the big lake vs. inland lakes.
The big lake is trending to less ice year over year which is very unfortunate.
There was essentially no ice on it this year. However, we can’t look at individual years but rather trends over long periods.

Oddly, we are running 15 to 20 degrees below normal for temps up north right now. Spring has not arrived nor even begun.
Tom

The overall below normal cold ( only recently) as mentioned by tublehome is mainly due to snowpack (some historic) in the Northland hanging on much later than normal. Warmer temps on the lakes? yes. But these warmer temps have allowed more H20 vapor to mingle with brutal air in S.CAN and in ND- esp with an E wind - which is common in big storms --- ESP NE winds. = that has buried DLH and much of the Northshore.

There is nothing "ODD" about the pattern.. It was foreseen months ago . You can expect the same pattern for about the next 1-2 weeks-- and then a reversal ( maybe big) in April. ( so when the warmth comes- it's the opposite MET wise of now-- so please no AGW crap blaming this or that.. ) But put this on the board for N.MN readers -- your snow season has a lot to go yet---- just saying. Lots will change between now and Mid May. I predict DLH and other locations that keep climo data will smash snowfall records. And several Ice outs will challenge all time ice out records-( like most cold years) - but in the end- just a late ic out AVG for the State of MN. Much like a blend of 2013-2014-2018. --- not a big deal in the grand scheme. Fishing opener / canoeing should be just fine by 2nd week of May for most locations in MN. A week earlier ? not likely as of this post.

-9F as I go to bed in Hibbing and Eveleth. ..
Not quite records-- but OUCH. -- And the potential snow to come is not good -- other than it is has slight chance of being rain.

And here are some models for next week. We also have a snow event tonight in duluth for a few inches of snow.

Hopefully by opener. Lots of ice on the lakes right now.

For longer trend, KUWS (FM) 91.3 - Superior is reporting that UMD scientists have found the Great Lakes average temps have risen 5Fº since the '70's.

Hope no one has to make comments that our scientists are generating "AGW crap blaming this or that.. " Save those comments for Facebook or Truth Social please!

Not anytime soon for sure. But with a few weeks of sunshine the ice will go quickly.