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.
