“Nearly 60% of the lakes are now under a cover of ice, according to the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The ice cover could help lake levels this summer, but that is far from certain. And biologists are keeping a close eye on northern Lake Superior in the hope that an ice bridge will link Ontario to Isle Royale.

The island is the home to a struggling gray wolf population in desperate need of new genetic stock — and more wolves.

One possible effect of so much ice this winter is that come summer the ‘lake effect’ in cities such as Milwaukee, Chicago and Duluth, Minn., could be even cooler.

The ice cover this winter is a stark contrast to last winter, when the five lakes had only 38% cover, according to the research laboratory, which tracks ice conditions on the lakes. The long-term average of the lakes is about 50%, according to George Leshkevich, a scientist with the laboratory, which is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.”