Four Season Cottages and Vacation Suites
On the Shore of Lake Superior
Grand Marais, Minnesota
December 2016
Dec 31: We had 5 inches of fresh fluffy snow last night. There was a low of 11 this morning and a high of 26 this afternoon. Lake Superior was blue and smooth with 3ft roller waves from the SE reflecting the brilliant blue winter sky. Guests have told me that cross country ski conditions are excellent.
Dec 30: The clear skies and stars from last night were replaced by white overcast skies this morning. Lake Superior is a calm pale blue which blends almost seamlessly into the pale blue gray horizon. The morning low was 11. So far the high this afternoon is 19. Snow is supposed to be on the way and is already falling in neighboring Lake County.
Dec 29: There were many ore freighters passing by today, some quite close to the shore. The lake had 3-4ft waves from the south against a white overcast sky and steady winds. Temps stayed in the 20's all day long.
Dec 28: Lake Superior had 3ft blue roller waves again from the SSW. Partly cloudy skies turned to snow that lasted most of the day accumulating about 3" of fluffy snow. Temps were in the mid 20's and there was no noticable wind.
Dec 27: It is nice to be back to Lake Superior. This morning the horizon to the south was dark and heavy overcast in northern Wisconsin and the UP. However, we have clear skies over us. Lake Superior has 3ft dark blue roller waves from the SSW.
Dec 26: We traveled north today from Rochester. It was dry pavement through the twin cities but the winds from the west made it difficult to keep our van on the road as it was knocked around. From Hinckley to Duluth there were numerous accidents and treacherous conditions. In Duluth the roads were quite good but the expressway to Two Harbors was terrible. After Two Harbors road conditions continued to improve. By the time we were in Cook County the pavement was mostly dry. It looked like Grand Marais receieved about 6-8 inches of snow earlier in the day but that the plows had cleared the roads making them in good condition. I can't wait to see the lake again tomorrow but for now I must just enjoy the sound of the lake buffeting the shore.
Dec 25: It rained most of the day in Rochester. At times there were heavy downpours. I can only imagine how much snow would have fallen if it had been 5-10 degrees colder. As it was, most the the day it was in the upper 30's and low 40's. Seems out of character to have a heavy rainstorm on Christmas Day. Our innkeeper said it was just as warm here but when the precipitation came to Croftville it was in the form of a few inches of slushy snow.
Dec 24: It looks like a mostly cloudy day this Christmas Eve with a little sun poking through still this morning. Lake Superior has 1-2ft waves with long distances between crests from the SSW. The sunrise is geourgeous as the sun peeks above the first thin line of clouds to the SE. We had a low overnight of only 31 and that is probably about where the temperature is going to stay today as we travel south to spend Christmas Eve with family. Merry Christmas to you. Dec 23: Not much sun today. It even was raining in Duluth for my shopping trip. We had a high of 38 here next to Lake Superior. The snow was wet and perfect for guests to make snowman and snow angels. Sometimes I forget that snow can be lots of fun and not just work. My kids going out cross country skiing and children of our guests help to remind me of this. Lake Superior has 2-3ft dark blue waves from the south and is stunning.
Dec 22: We had an overnight low of 21 and a high today of 35. I greatly appreciated the colder temps this morning in aiding the use of the snowblower. By afternoon it was too wet to blow. There was one of the most gorgeous sunrises on Lake Superior this morning, everyone in town was talking about it and my wife was busy snapping pictures. The light cloud front on the horizon was emblazed with colors as the sun came up over the horizon. The sticky 5-7" of snowfall from yesterday was sticking to everything making Croftville Road look like a winter wonderland.
Dec 21: Removing the snow from yesterday was the first order of business for today. By the time we were done at noon a new batch of 5-7" of wet heavy snow started coming down. I just stood and watched it pile up over all our hard work and just hoped that it might cool off enough tonight to make it cold enough to use the snowblower. Our high during all of this was 38 and the heavy snowfall made Lake Superior invisible.
Dec 20: More snow fell overnight, about 3 inches. Temps continued to rise overnight and by this afternoon we had a high of 36. The new snow is heavy and wet. Lake Superior broke into blue skies this afternoon which were reflected into a birght blue lake with 1-2ft waves and a rippled surface. Strong winds buffeted cars and people alike.
Dec 19: Lake effect snow began falling in the morning with a temperature of 6 degrees. By the time it quit around noon we had 5" of fluffy snow and rising temperautres into the teens. Visibility on the lake just showed a white wall.
Dec 18: It was a bitter cold evening with a low temp of 16 below zero next to Lake Superior. It must have been much colder away from the lake. We stayed inside as much as possible and temps never got above zero all day.
Dec 17: They had predicted 5-10 inches of snow for here but we got less than an inch last night. The heavier snow just never made it this far north. Temps started at 4 above this morning and then continued to fall through the day ending up at 4 below by night break. Lake Superior was relatively calm and skies overhead were blue.
Dec 16: We saw a couple ore freighters pass by today. Lake Superior had 1-2ft blue gray waves from the south. There is snow on the way. It is snowing in Duluth right now and there is heavy snow in the southern part of Minnesota.
Dec 15: The morning began at 4 below but has been rising all morning. We had 10 degrees at noon with all the sun overhead. The winds subsided this morning leaving the big lake with only 1-2ft blue waves from the SSW. The cloud bank over the lake began to dissipate this afternoon probably because we are up at 10 degrees.
Dec 14: It was 3 degrees when I woke up this morning and that was the high for the day. Temps slowly and steadily decreased throughout the day with 4 below at sunset. The violent looking cloud mass over the lake continued to grow as the steam rose off the surface. The surface was roughly textured with 2-3ft dark blue waves from the SSW. The wind off the lake made it almost unbearable outside with the lake putting its most inhospitable foot forward.
Dec 13: It got down to 3 degrees this morning. With these very cold temps the steam rising off Lake Superior has formed that dark cloud mass over the lake that is familiar when the temperatures drop below zero. Lake Superior is violent looking with steam rising off a bluish black lake with a highly textured surface and 3-4ft waves from the SSW.
Dec 12: We had only a dusting of snow last night but elsewhere along the shore they had considerably more. Traveling to Duluth it looked like Lutsen had 6-8". Duluth looked like it had 6" as well. Temps along Lake Superior stayed around 15 degrees today but once again away from the relatively warm lake the temperatures were much more frigid. Waves on Superior were dark blue gray with 2-3ft roller waves from the SE.
Dec 11: Temps were back in the teens overnight. With the rise in temps our clear skies have left as well. Light snow is falling with white overcast skies. Lake Superior has 2-3ft silver gray waves from the SE.
Dec 10: It was the coldest day of the season with 8 degress beside Lake Superior this morning. Before this morning the coldest we had was in the 20's. It also was our first day with blue skies and sun overhead since Thanksgiving Day over 2 weeks ago. It was so good to see and feel the sun. To the south the skies were almost black as a storm moves in to southern Minnesota.
Dec 9: Once again we have overcast skies and occasional snow flurries. Temps are in the low 20's. Lake Superior is mostly calm with only 6" waves brushing the shore. We saw sevral ore freighters pass by all lit up last night.
Dec 8: It was in the low 20's this morning witha brisk wind. Lake Superior was calm and a dark blue gray. Skies remained overcast but I could see patches of blue our over the lake even though the blue never made it overhead. It looks like winter is going to stick this time and there is no chance of a thaw for the next 10 days according to the weather reports.
Dec 7: Overnight, we had the rain of yesterday turn to snow. As the temperatures dropped, the freezing rain and wet snow froze to give us a base layer of ice. Above that, we got about 3 inches of snow down here by Lake Superior. Around noon, the overcast skies were almost burned off by the sun. It was so close the the overcast sun was leaving faint shadows, but I never did get to see the sun directly. Later the wind picked up and it got dark again with flurries coming down.
Dec 6: Well, we thought we might get some sun yesterday when we saw a small patch of blue sky to the west. But, that patch closed up and rain began again around dusk. It rained all night and this morning it has turned to snow although it is still melting when it hits the earth. Temps today are once again in the mid 30's, skies are a dark overcast, and there will be no sun today. Lake Superior has stirred up 5-6ft waves from the south due to the strong winds coming off the lake. That wind knocked over one of our refrigerators for the inn off its pallet last night.
Dec 5: It looks like there might be blue skies to the west but our overcast skies continue overhead. Temps are in the low 30's this morning and the snow overnight has left a light dusting of white everywhere. Lake Superior is gray with 1-2ft waves from the SSW.
Dec 4: A rain/snow mix began late yesterday. We woke up to a dusting of snow just enough to whiten any surface that hadn't absorbed enough heat from our dreary overcast skies. The dark overcast skies began again with a rain/snow mix in the afternoon that continued into the night. Temps once again are in the 30's. Lake Superior has 2-3ft bluish gray waves from the south.
Dec 3: And our overcast sky world of Croftville continues. Temps remain in the 30's. Lake Superior is a blue gray with 1-2ft waves from the SE. We saw several ore freighters passing by today and could see their lights after dark.
Dec 2: The skies remain dark and overcast and temperatures continue to hover in the 30's. It sure would nice to see some direct sun. These overcast skies have been a staple here since Thanksgiving.
Dec 1: Skies are gray and overcast. To the south across the lake we can see lighter skies and bits of sun. It is colder today hovering right around freezing. It is a cold that chills you to the bone. Lake Superior is nearly calm with a light blue gray rippled surface.
November 2016
Nov 30: It was in the upper 30's all day with light rain ans mist until late afternoon. Once again it was such a dark day with dark skies. Lake Superior had calmed down to 1-2ft waves from the SE.
Nov 29: Rain, rain, rain. And then it rained some more. It was warm near 40 and dark overcast skies. Lake Superior has the dark chocolate milk like band near the shore and a steel blue band further out. Waves are in the 5-6ft range and we have a strong wind.
Nov 28: It is warm with temps in the 40's this morning. It is dark, it seems like it is twilight but we are in the middle of the day. Last night it rained hard and it is still lightly raining now. And overnight the lake woke up. We arose to 5-6ft waves from the SE. The lake has the brown band near the shore and a dark blue band further out. You can feel the breaking waves hitting the shore.
Nov 27: The low was 34. The high is 39. Lake Superior is a calm blue gray against a white overcast horizon line. Overhead we have light overcast gray skies and can feel no noticable breeze.
Nov 26: Dark skies from the south covered us by about 10am. Although we had no precipitation, it remained dark out all day. Lake Superior was a colorless gray with 1ft waves coming in gently from the SE. Temps stayed above freezing after the morning frost.
Nov 25: After a hard 7 day stint of working on the inn and a Thanksgiving meal last night, I was good for nothing but a couch potato today. Outside was calm with 1-2ft gray waves from the SE and temps hovering in the upper 30's. The snow is gradually disappering.
Nov 24: It was a beauiful Thanksgiving Day with partly cloudy skies and 2-3ft bluish green waves from the SE. Temperatures stayed above freezing last night and climbed into the upper 30's this afternoon.
Nov 23: It started to rain overnight. The rain changed to snow here along the lake for a little while but it turned back to rain and what snow fell was a slushy mess. It never got below freezing today sticking in the 35-38 degree range all day long. The waves were churning up the shore today and Lake Superior had the brown band near shore and the bluish gray band further out.
Nov 22: To our south there was rain snow and ice all day, but here in the Arrowhead we had no precipitation today at all. It was overcast with a gray calm textured Superior. Everytime we looked on the radar it looked like the snow was about to arrive but it just never got to Croftville. Temps started in the 20's but climbed above freezing in the afternoon and stayed there.
Nov 21: It was in the upper 20's this afternoon. It was a dry day with partly sunny skies. The lake was a calm light blue except when the sun reflected off of it and it became a blinding white.
Nov 20: It warmed into the 20's overnight. Gitche Gumi has a pale gray textured surface and is calm. It is such a change from the tumultuous lake from 2 days ago. We saw several ore freighters pass by us in the night. Teresa found our Christmas tree from a broken out top of a Balsam Fir from our neighbor's yard.
Nov 19: I was really surprised to find the waves beginning to dissipate by morning but it must take a tremendous amount of energy to maintain those huge waves. I woke up to another surprise to find my tool canopy for our construction project which has been up all year torn and crumpled from the gales last night and my saws strewn around and upturned in the wreckage. The storm left us with and ice layer on the ground and 3 inches of snow on top of that. We had snow flurries most of the day and temps stayed in the teens. Welcome winter.
Nov 18: And in a blink of an eye winter hit this morning. The day started with drizzle and cool in the upper 30's. Lake Superior was relatively calm and gray. The winds began to pick up, the waves on the lake began to swell, the temperatures began to drop, and the rain turned to sleet. By noon we were in a snowstorm and temps dropped into the lower 20's. Talk of culture shock, I don't think it had even made it below 30 here along the lake this season and now it was rapidly approaching the teens. By nightfall we had wind gales and the swells on the big lake had hit 6-7ft. Our guests could fell the breaking waves pounding the shore from their bed.
Nov 17: It is a drizzly gray overcast day today. Temps are in the low 40's. Lake Superior is gray and silver with a rippled sruface and 1ft waves from the SSE.
Nov 16: The morning began with mostly sun but the clouds and overcast skies increased through the day with a heavy mist in the mid afternoon. Lake Superior has 3ft waves from the south.
Nov 15: It was a rainy day with only short respites between the rain. It began warm and clear early in the day but temps dropped and the rain started about 9am. Lake Superior was mostly calm and a misty gray with the rain coming down. Nov 14: It was a beautiful late fall day here in Croftville. Plenty of sun, interesting cloud formations, and a steel blue Lake Superior with 3-4ft waves. Our high temp was in the upper 50's.
Nov 13: We have clear blue skies and termps in the 40's. A bright transluscent greenish blue lake with 3-4ft waves from the SSW complement the sky. Our guests sat out around a fire last night enjoying the stars and the intense full moon last night.
Nov 12: The waves on the lake built up to 4-5ft from the SSW overnight and continued through today. In addition there was a powerful wind blowing all day that was almost exhausting just being outside. But it was a majesticly beautiful late fall day. Partly cloudy skies left Lake Superior a steel black and blue in color. The huge breaking waves created white water crashing into the shore. Temps only rached the mid 40's.
Nov 11: Lake Superior was mostly calm on this cold sunny day. Frost this morning was followed by a high in the mid 40's.
Nov 10: We traveled to Duluth today enjoying the sights of the boreal forest in the late fall. Every once in a while we could find a decidous tree still hanging on to its golden leaves which now looks so out of place with all the other deciduous trees now stripped bare. The low this morning was 46 and the high in Duluth was 64.
Nov 9: It was a warm and windy day in Croftville. We had mostly sunny skies, some beautiful cloud formations passing through, and temps in the upper 50's. Lake Superior had growing waves from the south. By late afternoon the blue waves were 3ft and crashing into the shore.
Nov 8: It was windy with bright sun and 55 degrees here along Lake Superior. The lake itself was surprisingly calm, bright blue, and quiet.
Nov 7: It was a repeat of yesterday except the temperatures were about 5 degrees warmer.
Nov 6: Partly cloudy skies. A light calm blue lake. Frost in the morning but temps in the 50's this afternoon.
Nov 5: Croftville had temps in the low 50's today. There was some sun and there was quite a bit of cloud cover over the lake. Lake Superior was mostly calm and a light shiny blue.
Nov 4: My daughter and I split wood today. It was a georgeous indian summer day here in Croftville. Lake Superior was a deep blue against a white horizon and mostly sunny skies. We had 3ft waves, whitecaps, and a strong wind with temps that might have topped 60.
Nov 3: There was light frost this morning but it warmed up quickly into the low 50's. Lake Superior was calm with a light blue surface. Overhead we had whie overcast skies.
Nov 2: Lake Superior was calm today with only 6" waves from the SSW. Sky cover went from mostly sunny skies this morning to medium overcast skies in the afternoon. This morning Lake Superior had a glossy green blue surface that turned to metallic gray in the afternoon.
Nov 1: There was rain overnight but the overcast skies began to break up right after dawn and we now have partly cloudy skies and plenty of sun. It is warmer this morning, in the upper 40's. There is a strong wind off the lake. Lake Superior has 3-4ft transluscent green waves from the SSW with whitecaps.
October 2016
Oct 31: No stars last night. The heavy dark cloud cover continued right into this morning. The skies are dark, temps are in the 30's, and Lake Superior is deep metallic gray with 4ft waves from the south. To the south across the lake we can see the lighter skies.
Oct 30: We arrived back to Lake Superior after a weekend stay in Saint Paul to watch our son run cross country. It was warm (mid 50's) and partly overcast as we left the cities. Gradually the temps fell as we headed north into the mid 40's. The skies stayed partly cloudy with some sun all the way until we got back to Cook County. Then we could see a line of dark heavy clouds moving to the south. By the time we got to Grand Marais we had ligth rain with dark overcast skies which continued through the night.
Oct 29: We were away from Lake Superior today and at Como Park in Saint Paul watching the MIAC cross country championships. Although overcast, it was perfect weather for a run in the upper 50's. The oaks were the goergeous burnt red color I remember but I was surprised by the smaller bright red maples that are still holding onto their leaves. My brother said the twin cities still has not had a killing frost yet although most of the outlying areas have.
Oct 28: It warmed up last night and must already be near 50 this morning. Skies are gray and overcast and it showered on us as our daughter waited for the school bus. Lake Superior has 1ft greenish gray waves from the south.
Oct 27: It was a dark gray day today with a even darker greenish gray Lake Superior. Temps rose into the upper 40's and stayed there with the cloud cover. The lake had 3-4ft waves from the south.
Oct 26: The wind last night stripped the deciduous trees of their colorful leaves. The timing was just right, the trees had let loosened their grip on the dying leaves and the wind came along to rip the leaves free. Just like that we woke up to what now looks like late fall. The strong wind continued all day and churned up 4-5ft waves on the big lake from the SSE. Between the roar of the lake and the whine of the wind you could barely hear yourself let alone someone else's voice when you were outside. By afternoon temps dropped into the 30's even though the morning began in the mid 40's.
Oct 25: We had frost again this morning. It warmed up quickly with the clear skies but cooled off quickly this afternoon. We have a healthy breeze. Lake Superior has 2-3ft grayish blue waves from the SE. I saw a little red fox with an huge fluffy tail. I thought my presence would scare him off but he let me talk to him as he kept a healthy distance between us.
Oct 24: There was a heavy frost this morning. Partly cloudy skies made for a beautiful sunrise. By noon the skies had cleared and the sun warmed us up into the upper 40's. It looks like it is going to be a picture perfect afternoon with a high in the 50's and a shimmering blue mostly calm lake.
Oct 23: There was a steady substantial rain all morning. Lake Superior has 2ft greenish gray waves from the SSE. The rain stopped at noon but the dark skies continued all day long.
Oct 22: Mostly cloudy skies with glimpses of sun from time to time. Lake Superior had 2ft blue green waves coming in straight from the SSE. We continue to lose leaf cover but there is still plenty of color near the lake. We rose to a high in the low 50's today.
Oct 21: Today we had beautiful cloud formations that once in awhile let rays of light from the sun through. Lake Superior has 1ft blue gray waves from the SE. Temps are cool in the 30's to upper 40's.
Oct 20: The day began with a stunning sunrise and cold in the 30's. It progressed with mostly cloudy skies and sprinkles at times. It never really warmed up today staying in the low 40's. Lake Superior a blue gray with a textured surface and no noticable waves. I could here the waves puicking up last night but by morning the lake was once again subdued.
Oct 19: Temperatures warmed into the 60's this afternoon in the sun making a gorgeous fall day here in Croftville. Leaves continue to fall and you can begin to see into the forest in places.
Oct 18: We traveled to Duluth today and enjoyed seeing the sunrise light up the surface. Lake Superior had 2ft waves from the SE and had a blue textured surface. Temps were in the low 40's in the morning to mid 60's in the late afternoon. It was a beautiful day to watch a cross country meet in Proctor.
Oct 17: The last I saw last night was a lightning storm on the south shore but sometime during the night the storm moved north across the lake. It looked like we had a solid rain overnight and the light rain continued over the morning. Lake Superior is gray with little more than ripples on the surface. The sky is also a uniform gray. The balsam aspens along the shore have now dropped their leaves but the quaking aspens and birch are bright gold. The maples have now lost the reds and oranges leaving bright gold leaves.
Oct 16: Skies partly cleared overnight and we had a gorgeous sunrise. The horizon was clear but there were two long narrow clouds that the yellow rising sun lit up a pinkish red against the blue morning sky. Lake Superior has 2ft silver blue waves from the SE.
Oct 15: It was a very foggy day by the lake today. Visibility on the lake was usually less than 100ft. Temperatures were seasonalby warm with the highs near 60.
Oct 14: Lake Superior has 2-3ft gray waves with dark green shadows from the south this morning. Skies are mostly overcast and temps are in the 30's this morning although there was no visible frost today. The trees right now are so colorful. The only green foliage is now mostly left on the evergreens that are taking on that darker green color that you see in the winter.
Oct 13: Today was cloudy this morning but cleared up as the day went on. Lake Superior was a starkly beautiful steel blue with 2ft waves from the south. It was a cold day only reaching the low 40's for a high.
Oct 12: We had some sun but we had rain showers coming and going as well. It was cold and it was really cold when it was raining and the wind was blowing. Temps started the day near freezing and climbed into the 40's thanks to the sun. Lake Superior had 2ft waves from the south but the color of the lake changed every time the sky coveer changed which was frequently today.
Oct 11: It is still warm this morning by the lake with 46 degrees. I was surprised to find light rain and gray overcast skies when I got up. Lake Superior is a steel gray with navy shadows on its 2ft waves from the SSE. I am not sure what this day will bring since we were expecting sun.
Oct 10: The day started in the 50's and rose into the 60's. Sun, blue skies, golden leaves, and a gentle wind. It was a beautiful fall day. The add in a bright blue Lake Superior with 2-3ft waves from the SE and I couldn't imagine a better day to spend outdoors.
Oct 9: Didn't quite see the morning low but we had a heavy frost this morning, still not quite cold enough to kill the flowers. Highs today were in the 40's. For the most part we had skies which reflected into a deep blue lake with navy shadows and silver highlight on the 2ft waves from the SE. I would say we are now in peak color next to the lake and that probably means a little past peak inlamd.
Oct 8: We woke up to 35 degrees this morning right along the lake, the coldest morning so far this season. The gray overcast skies kept us from getting colder but it is also preventing us from warming up. We can see partly cloudy skies and some sun on the south side of Superior but so far none of that is making its way here. Lake Superior has dark gray 3-4ft waves from the south against the light blue horizon line.
Oct 7: We had high winds and driving rain throughout the day today. Temps barely got up to 50 and there is a frost warning for tonight. Lake Superior is being churned up by the winds with 3-5ft waves all the waty from the SSW.
Oct 6: It is a windy day with strong winds whipping the tree tops about. Lake Superior has 3-4ft waves from the south.
Oct 5: Although it cleared up this afternoon and was quite nice, this morning was a very different story. We had dark clouds, high wind, and driving rain. Lake Superior was a blackish blue with 4-5ft waves from the SE and whitecaps. Temps were fairly warm in the 50's.
Oct 4: It has looked like we are on the verge of rain all day long but it just never arrives. Superior is a stormy blue green with 2-4ft waves coming in at the rare oblique angle of the ESE. To the west, the dark clouds seem just minutes away from a downpour. Overhead we have sun that is trying to break through but never enough to dry off the heavy dew from this morning. Temps have climbed into the mid 50's and the leaves are in beautiful fall colors.
Oct 3: One of the best fall days of the season. Blue partly cloudy skies, highs in the upper 60's, a deep blue calm lake, and great fall colors. This morning Lake Superior had huge white clouds hovering over its surface reminding me of the formations you see over the lake during intensely cold days in the winter. Perhaps a portent of the season to come.
Oct 2: It was a breathtaking sunrise this morning over the lake. We had partly cloudy stratus clouds above the lake. As the sun came up and was low in the sky it illuminated the bottoms of these clouds leaving their tops in dark shadows. The big lake is calm with only silver ripples on the surface and for now we have not even a breeze.
Oct 1: What a beautiful fall day. It was mostly sunny with a high of 60. A perfect day to be outdoors enjoying what nature has to offer. Only about half of the green is now left in the trees along the shore. Although I haven't been inland, I bet there the leaves are in full fall colors. Lake Superior is subdued today with only small 1ft waves in a remarkable blue hue.
September 2016
Sep 30: Skies overhead are blue, skies over the lake are gray. There is a heavy dew on everything and temps are in the low 40's this morning. Lake Superior is a blue gray with 1-2ft waves from the SE.
Sep 29: It was a gorgeous fall day today. We had mostly sunny skies and a steel blue big lake with 2ft waves from the SE. It was the first day this week you could sit out and have a fire and it was so good to smell the campfire smoke in the air. Temps today ranged from 45 to 65.
Sep 28: You can really see the change in color down here on Croftville Road. The moose maples are red and orange, the mountain ash are golden with bright red berries, and the birch are a bright yellow. Skies are a white oveercast and Superior has gray 2-3ft waves from the south.
Sep 27: It was overcast at times, but most of the day was partly cloudy with temps staying in the low 50's. This morning it was cold and really felt like summer is over and winter is coming. Lake Superior had 2-3ft grayish blue waves from the south.
Sep 26: It started raining in the early hours this morning and looks like we might have light rain and drizzle throughout this overcast day. There were a couple times that the sun looked like it might break through on the gray and black lake but then the overcast skies take over again. Lake Superior has 3-5ft dark gray waves with black shadows from the south pounding the shore and moving the boulders around. You can hear them as they move and bang into each other. Temps will remain in the 50's today.
Sep 25: Rain showed up in the early morning hours and we woke up to light rain and gray overcast skies. Lake Superior waves are 2-3ft and changed back to there usual SE direction. The horizon to the south is light perhaps making for sunny weather in northern Wisconsin. Looks like temps here are going to stay in the 50's if the overcast skies stick around.
Sep 24: It was windy today and the aspen leaves really bristled in that wind. We had partly cloudy skies and temps rose into the low 60's. Lake Superior had steel blue 3-5ft waves with whitecaps from the south. Some of the waves further out may have been quite a bit larger.
Sep 23: Skies were lightly overcast with sun popping out once in awhile. Highs were in the 60's. Lake Superior had large 3-4ft waves from the south pounding our shore. The waves are my favorite steel blue color with a few whitecaps tossed in. We are starting to see some reds and oranges in our moose maples down here near the shore.
Sep 22: Cloud cover kept passing by last night bringing the stars and half moon into and out of sight. Eventually, the cloud cover developed into a steady rain that lasted until about 9am this morning. The overcast skies remain overhead but looks like the sun wants to break out in places over Superior. There are 1ft gray waves from the SE and temps are in the low 50's.
Sep 21: Lake Superior was calm today after several days of high waves. It was stange to hear silence. The lake was a flat gray against a white overcast horizon. Chances of rain up here were supposed to be nil, but we had on and off light rain all day long. Temps stayed in the 50's.
Sep 20: It was another day of high winds and 4-6ft waves all the way from the SSW. With partly cloudy skies overhead, the waves were a deep sky blue further out and a translucent blue green closer in to shore. Temps comfortably rose into the upper 60'sd this afternoon.
Sep 19: It was a truly remarkable sight on Lake Superior today. We have high winds that are producing 5-6ft waves pounding into what lttle is left of our shore with the high water of Lake Superior. For a time late this morning the lake was a bluish black with stark white whitecaps. It was so loud you had to yell on our covered porch in order to hear each other.
Sep 18: Coming over Thompson Hill on 35 looking down into Duluth and beyond to the lake is always such a welcome sight. We are missing Joey and our daughter texts him along the journey to let him know were were are at. As we get to Menards in West Duluth she tells him "Save big money". As we approach the cemetary om Two Harbors she tells him we are holding our breath. As we pass through Illgen City, she tells him that I am feeling ill but that as soon as we pass it we are feeling much better. At Cliffs Mining in Silver Bay she tells him,"Luke, I am your father" referring to a piece of equipment that appears to look like Darth Vader from a distance.
Sep 17: We were in Northfield today to watch our son race at Saint Olaf. The soil is really saturated in southern Minnesota. It was fun to see the green now gone in the cornfields, the gold colored soy bean fields, and the sumac about 50% deep red. We look forward to returning to the North Shore tomorrow and to the cooler temperatures.
Sep 16: It rained most of the night and half of the morning. It was funny how warm the rain kept everything only dropping into the upper 50's this morning. The rest of the day we have gray overcast skies, a light breeze, and humid with temps in the low 60's. Lake Superior has 2-3ft gray waves with navy shadows buffeting the beach.
Sep 15: It was chilly, partly cloudy, and windy today. Morning temps were in the low 40's and we got into the 50's in the afternoon. Lake Superior only had small waves but it did have a smooth horizontal band about 1 mile out.
Sep 14: It was so cold last night that I had to get up and be sure all the windows in the inn were shut. Temps were in the low 40's and was the coldest night so far this fall. I guess there will be plenty of these nights ahead. We had partly cloudy skies and 2ft waves from the SE.
Sep 13: We had sun this morning, rain this afternoon, and cloudy skies as evening sets in. Lake Superior was surprisingly calm this morning but picked up to 2-3ft waves from the south heading into the evening. Temps were cool today staying in the mid 50's. They are predicting a cold night but I don't think it can get as cold as they say without the skies clearing.
Sep 12: It was overcast with a gray lake and 3-4ft waves pounding the shore. Temps were in the 60's and it felt humid. By late afternoon a steady rain began for about 3-4 hours.
Sep 11: It got warm this afternoon into the mid 70's along the lake. There also was a brisk wind. Lake Superior has 2-3ft rollers from the SE and as evening comes the skies are dotted with clouds and the surface of the lake is purple against a pinkish horizon.
Sep 10: We had a little of everything today. Some sun, some rain, some overcast. There was some wind and some calm. The lake was calm in the morning and roller waves in the afternoon.
Sep 9: Lake Superior is relatively calm today with 1-2ft silver roller waves from the SE. We have small white cottonball clouds dotting the blue sky overhead but it looks like overcast skies across the lake. The wind is gone from yesterday and temperatures are in the 50's this morning. There are signs of fall color starting to pop up just about everywhere.
Sep 8: Lots of whitecaps against deep steel blue 3-4ft waves from the ESE today. We had clear blue skies after having a terrific thunderstorm and short intense rain last night. Temps today rose into the low 70's.
Sep 7: We have light overcast skies overhead but dark clouds over Lake Superior. The lake has 1-2ft gray waves from the SE with silver highlights reflecting the sun where there are braeks in the dark clouds over the lake. Temps are in the low 60's and the humidity is gone today.
Sep 6: The sky over the lake lit up last night with lightning and then the skies opened up twice and dumped on us. We could see the lightning strike out on the lake. By morning the rain had quit but the air was so thick that you felt 10 lbs heavier just walking around. The heavy gray overcast lasted all day. Lake Superior had 3ft colorless gray waves that pounded the shore from the south.
Sep 5: The weather changed overnight. Overcast skies replaced the stars around 3am and by 5am the rain began. It lookes like steady rain this morning with heavy overcast skies. Lake Superior has visibility of a half mile and is gray with 2-3ft waves from the south. Temps are steady around 60 degrees.
Sep 4: We have partly cloudy skies with white cottonball clouds overhead. Temps are in the upper 60's with a brisk breeze. Lake Superior has 2ft waves from the south that break on the shore. Leaves on the birch and moose maple are starting to show signs of a change in color.
Sep 3: Lake Superior is hitting the shore with 2-3ft steel gray waves from the south. Overhead we have mostly clear skies with a have over the lake. Temps should climb from 50 to perhaps the low 70's this afternoon.
Sep 2: Today we had low humidity, a heavy dew on the plants and buildings this morning, clear blue skies, and a steel blue Lake Superior with a highly textured surface. Later this afternoon the waves began to pick up creating a few whitecaps further out. It was chilly in the shade and warm in the sun making it a picture perfect early fall day on Croftville Road.
Sep 1: It is September and all of a suddden fall is creeping up on us. I have seem the signs for a few weeks but just didn't want to acknowledge them. Our small moose maple across Croftville Road is now orange and is almpst always our first sign of fall. It feels so good at night to have to pull up the covers instead of throwing back the covers. Morning temps were in the low 50's and we had the lows 70's this afternoon.
August 2016
Aug 31: We had another cool morning in the 50's and although the sky in the afternoon looked like there was rain coming it missed us passing to the south. Lake Superior had a steel blue color with 1-2ft waves from the SE. Highs today were in the low 70's.
Aug 30: The lightning show across the lake last night went on and on and on. I hope there is something left of northern Wisconsin. Here, all we got was some clouds but not enough to obscure the stars over lake and overhead. This mornng is cool in the 50's with clear blue skies and a calm Lake Superior with patches of smooth and patches of textured surfaces.
Aug 29: Although we were traveling back from southern Minnesota we heard from our innkeeper that there was heavy rain and lightning this morning complete with a brief power outage. As we left Minneapolis at 9:30am it was already 84 degrees and humid. By the time we got to Duluth temps were back in the upper 70's and by the time we rolled into Grand Marais at 6pm it was 71. It is truly a different world here in Cook County. Lake Superior had 1-2ft rolling waves from the SSE.
Aug 28: Today we were at the Great Minnesota Get Together in Saint Paul. It was overcast, a bit humid, with temps in the 70's this morning at the State Fair. However, by noon the skies had cleared and the temperatures began to swell into the upper 80's in the afternoon, maybe even hotter on the asphalted areas. I'm afraid I have become a big wimp to the heat living in Croftville with Lake Superior sitting right next to me. I had to take a cold shower before going to bed just to get comfortable enough to sleep.
Aug 27: Lake Superior is clear blue with clear blue skies overhead and 2-3ft rollers hitting the shore. It is with a sad heart to be traveling south today because it means our son will be back at Saint Olaf for another school year and we will miss him. Driving down the North Shore I am reminded what a blessing it is to live in such a scenic place. We see people scrambling out of their cars to enjoy the coolness and vastness of Lake Superior and its breaking waves pounding the shore. They hike the paths to see the water coming down out of the Sawtooth Mountains cascading over the rock formations. It is a wonderful place to visit and a wonderful place to live.
Aug 26: Lake Superior still had its waves from the south but they were only 2-3ft today. The lake was bright blue with a textured surface against the light blue horizon line. We had 3 loons swimming and fishing out in front of Croftville Road Cottages. We also had a large sailboat cruise by. Temps were comfortable in the 60's and 70's after beginning the day at 51.
Aug 25: Another day of the largest waves we've seen this month. We had 3-5ft waves this afternoon from the south that pounded the shore so loud that you had to yell like you were at a college party tp hear each other. The humidty was down and temps stayed in the low 70's. There was a time this afternoon that looked like rain could be coming but it fizzled away. Lake Superior was a steel blue today except near the shore that was more of a translucent green.
Aug 24: Big waves, 3-4ft rollers. Clear skies, an amazing blue. It is still humid but is starting to feel better. The high will be in the upper 70's. Lake Superior is a steel blue with white breaking waves.
Aug 23: Gitche Gumi was roaring yesterday. We had thunderous 3-4ft rollers pounding the shore from the SSE. So loud was the lake that it was hard to have a conversation near it. We had clear skies after clouds overnight looked for sure like rain. And it was hot getting into the mid 80's even here along the lake.
Aug 22: Clear skies and temps staying in the 60's today made for a beautiful day outdoors after the early hours showers. The lake was roaring with 3ft rollers from the SE breaking onto the shores. In spite of the cool temps it felt hot in the sun.
Aug 21: What a Sunday. Cool temps in the 50's made for pleasant sleeping overnight with a high only in the 60's today. The moon is waning from the full moon but it still packs a lot of light to illuminate the clouds and lakes. Lake Superior graced us with 2 ore freighters passing by.
Aug 20: Today was rain. It was a gray overcast soaking rain that lasted most of the day and the night. Lake Superior was colorless and mostly calm.
Aug 19: The full moon rose tonightbig and orange before it climbed behind cloud cover making the clouds translucent and peaking out occasionally to brighten the water.
Aug 18: Lake Superior is light blue glass this morning with a fuzzy horizon. The only waves are the wakes of an occasional boat going by. Temps are in the 50's this morning but will warm up quickly with the clear blue skies overhead. The moon was full last night and lit up the lake, our bedroom, and everywhere else.
Aug 17: Lake Superior was calm except for the wakes of boats passing by. We had a pleasant breeze and a high in the 70's with only an occasional cloud in the sky.
Aug 16: We had a low in the 50's and a high near 80. There was plenty of sun, a bright blue sky, and a bright blue lake with only ripples for waves. The moon isn't quite full yet, but it lights up the lake and surroundings creating enormous shadows.
Aug 15: There are high wispy stratus clouds in the blue sky today. We have a light breeze with changing directions and afternoon temps in the 70's. Lake Superior only has ripples on its shiny silver blue surface. My son came back from the Quetico with new he-man stories about treacherous portages to tell as we gorged ourselves with Sven and Ole's pizza.
Aug 14: We finally saw the stars come out last night for the first time in several days. Too late for the Persius meteor showers. We will look forward to them next year. Today was as perfect a summer Sunday as possible. Mostly sunny blue skies, a comfortable breeze, temps in the 70's, and a drop dead gorgeous blue lake with 2-3ft breaking waves hitting the shore.
Aug 13: There was rain once again overnight and today the skies are gray and overcast. Lake Superior's 2-3ft grat waves can be heard against the shore. Looks like a high temp in the low 70's today.
Aug 12: We had to travel to Duluth today after the demis of our office computer yesterday. It was misting heavy most of the day or raining once in a while. When we got to Duluth the skies briefly cleared and the lake near Kitche Gami Park was the most amazing transluscent green.
Aug 11: It rained hard this morning and light rain and overcast skies continued all day long. Lake Superior was gray and mostly calm. Temps were in the 70's but muggy.
Aug 10: Now that my son has ventured into the Quetico today, naturally the weather has turned to rain. His group is hoping to enjot the Persius meteor showers starting tonight and lasting to Aug 12. It doesn't look promising here, but I hope they will get some clear skies for the showers and some Northern Lights.
Aug 9: The waves picked up overnight with 2-3ft waves crashing straight into the shore from the SSE. We also got rain overnight and now have light gray overcast skies. Temps are in the low 60's this morning and Lake Superior is a colorless gray with silver highlights where the overcast sky is the thinest.
Aug 8: Lake Superior is still only with ripples today. We are in the 70's this afternoon with partly cloudy but mostly sunny skies.
Aug 7: There are long thin Cirrus clouds in the sky today. The big lake is calm and with Fisherman's picnic going on in Grand Marais there are boats of all kinds, canoes, and kayaks in the water everywhere. Temps are in the 60's and 70's today and may hit 80 later this afternoon.
Aug 6: We have just 1ft waves from the south today. Skies have been partly cloudy most of the day and temps are in the 70's this afternoon after a pleasant morning of 60's.
Aug 5: The lake was roaring during the night. The breaking waves crashed against our shoreline with 3-4ft rollers from the south. I had to get up for awhile and watch them and the star filled night overhead. What majestic sights and sounds.
Aug 4: Judging by the condensation on our water pipes in the utility room, today was the most humid day this summer in Croftville. Temperatures were warm in the 80's and the air was muggy in spite of clear blue skies overhead. Lake Superior had small waves from the SE. There were lots of people in the cold water wading, kayaking, canoeing, and boating.
Aug 3: We woke up to quite a rainstorm this morning. It rained hard and lasted for about an hour. Afterwards, the skies cleared and we had sun, warm temperatures, humid air by Grand Marais standards, but a pleasant breeze to keep us comfortable. Lake Superior calmed down after the storm with 1-2ft light blue waves with a narrow dark blue band about 5 miles out.
Aug 2: The rain moved in from the west this morning arriving just in time to block the approaching sunrise. Lake Superior has 2-3ft gray waves with dark green shadows from the SSE. The initial rain was a burst with lightning and thunder, but it has now settled into a steady rain with a cool breeze from the NW.
Aug 1: August is here and Lake Superior is a shimmering blue with white relfeactions and navy shadows. We have clear blue skies this morning with a cool gentle breeze and a hot sun.
July 2016
July 31: What a gorgeous summer day along the lake. Blue skies, a blue lake with 1ft waves from the SE. Overnight temps were in the 50's and the high was in the 70's. There were a lot of boats out on the water.
July 30: We unpacked the decorative gas stoves for the inn today. It didn't feel like we would need them with a high in the low 80's along the shore. We saw lots of people in boats enjoying the different perspective of seeing the shore from the water. The lake mirrored the blue skies ovehead.
July 29: It was down into the low 50's last night but has warmed nicely back up into the 60's today. There are clear blue skies over Lake Superior. There are 1-2ft smooth roller waves from the SE with silver blue highlights and navy shadows.
July 28: We traveled to Duluth today and found that the heat from this past week is finally done. Temps barely got into the 70's today even in the asphalt parking lots of the stores. By the time we got home to Grand Marais around 10pm it was 53. Lake Superior was a brilliant blue all the way down and we enjoyed the stars and the fast moving satellites in the evening sky on our trip back.
July 27: Cloud fronts passed over the lake all night but none of them produced rain, at least not in Croftville. This morning we have clear skies to the north and dark blue overcast skies to the south. Lake Superior is calm and a pale blue gray except for a dark blue band right at the horizon. Overnight temperatures were in the 60's without any breeze.
July 26: It was a mixed day weather-wise along Lake Superior today. Everything from clear skies, partly cloudy, and overcast. The lake changed with every changing mood of the sky. It was hot, in the 80's, but there was a pleasant breeze but not off the lake. Lake Superior had 2ft waves from the south.
July 25: It was a beautiful partly cloudy summer day with large cottonball clouds passing by and supplying occasional shade. Temps were in the 70's and Lake Superior has 1-2ft waves from the south even though last night 3-4ft waves were pummeling the shore.
July 24: It rained overnight. The cloud cover over the lake was spooky at times as the nearly full moon tried to find holes to pop through the clouds and light up the lake. This morning we had a heavy overcast sky that was replced by partly cloudy skies and sun in the early afternoon. Temps are in the 70's with a strong breeze. Lake Superior is sky blue with dark green shadows for the 100yds from shore you can see, the rest of the lake is covered by a white fog.
July 23: It was not quite as hot today but temps were still in the upper 80's. We kept alternating between clouds and sun until mid afternoon when a gray overcast moved in.
July 22: We have another hot day in the 90's with clear blue skies and low humidity. The breeze sometimes even feels cool. The crisp blue lake has 3ft waves with navy shadows from the SSE.
July 21: Wow, it is hot. We got into the 90's today down here along the lake in Croftville. I think yesterday was the first time we broke 80 degrees this year and now a day later we broke 90. Luckily, there is a refreshing brisk breeze that makes it quite comfortable in the shade. The lake is a beautiful blue reflecting the blue sky with 2-3ft waves pounding the shore from the SSE.
July 20: We woke up to 1ft smooth roller waves on the lake breaking against the shore from the SSE. Overhead we have clear bluse skies. The lake has a mist on it that almost makes the horizon line invisible. Temps are already in the mid 70's this morning and should make it into the 80's this afternoon even here by Lake Superior.
July 19: We traveled to Duluth today and spent a couple hours at Gooseberry Falls State Park. It is always so fun to hike around the paths and climb on the rocks. It brings back memories from my childhood. It was a beautiful day along the lake with temps approaching 70 and plenty of sun.
July 18: The lake was loud last night with 2-4ft waves. Today the waves have lessened to just 1-2ft from the SSE. We have partly cloudy skies with lots of sun. The lake is a brilliant blue with dark green shadows. There is a light blue band about a half mile out. Temps are in the upper 70's today and may even hit 80 here in Croftville.
July 17: The lake was quiet and still last night. This morning we had sunny skies, temps in the 70's and a blue calm lake. This afternoon a rain front moved in with a short heavy rain followed by dark overcast skies and humid air.
July 16: The lake had 1-2ft roller waves today from the SE. Skies were partly cloudy. Temps were in the 70's but there was a comfortable cool breeze from the lake.
July 15: It was a good woking day. The skies threatened rain at times but we also had plenty of sun. Temps were cool in the 60's. Lake Superior had 2-3ft waves from the SE.
July 14: Temps have climbed into the 70's this morning but there is a brisk cool breeze. We have partly cloudy skies and a shimmering pale blue lake with purple regions in it. The waves are 2ft from the SSE.
July 13: Although we had bouts of sun, most of the day had dark overcast skies and rain that was heavy at times. Waves on Lake Superior were 3-4ft today with whitecaps from the SSW. Temps were in the 70's along the lake but dropped into the low 60's after sunset with rain and fog helping to cool things off.
July 12: It was dense fog until about 2pm today. When the fog finally burned off, we had partly cloudy skies with big cumulus clouds and much sun. The lake had 2-3ft waves from the south. The lake had 2 bands. For the first half mile, it was the color of a copper penny. Beyond that it was a brilliant blue that looked like it couldn't wait for a blue sky to light it up. Temps jumped into the 70's when the fog burned away.
July 11: It was dark when we got up, and that wasn't because it was before dawn. Heavy dark overcast skies today with occasional downpours. Sometimes the air is humid (at least by Grand Marais standards). Temps are in the low 60's and everything is wet. Lake Superior is a light bluish gray with visibility of about 100 yds. Waves are 1-2 feet from the SE.
July 10: It is a beautiful summmer Sunday today. We have partly cloudy skies, 70 degrees, and a clear blue lake except close to shore where you can see all the rocks clearly beneath the surface. We only have small ripples on the lake which is probably from the wakes of the boats.
July 9: The stars were out and brilliant last night. This morning we woke to clear blue skies with a white haze at the horizon. The lake is mostly calm with many textured bands of color with pale blues, silvers, navies, and purples. With temps already in the upper 60's we might get into the upper 70's today.
July 8: We returned back to the cooler temperatures along Croftville Road today. There was an all night downpour on Maraboeuf Lake. It let up a little at daybreak. We had to eat breakfast, break camp, paddle 5 miles, and take 2 portages all in the rain. It was amazing how warm the Maraboeuf water was with the rain coming down.
July 7: Today was our layover day on the canoe trip. We explored to see if we could navigate Ambush Creek into Ambush Lake but got turned back. We picked blueberries and cleaned up broken glass on a small island, and we explored and had lunch on a Canadian island in Maraboeuf. Weather was a strange mix of sun, cloud, overcast, and rain. Temperautres were in the upper 70's which is warmer than we are used to along Lake Superior.
July 6: We headed down the Granite River from Clove, Granite, Gneiss, Devil's Elbow, and Maraboeuf Lakes today. My daughter got to canoe through her first ever rapids and there was the biggest smile on her face when the rapids dumped a bunch of water into our canoe. It was sunny and hot today. With our sunburns, we chose a campsite that enjoyed some cool cedar tree shade.
July 5: We left early this morning up the Gunflint for a few days of canoeing on the Granite River. We started here in the 50's and by the time we got up the Gunflint Trail it was 69. We enjoyed lots of sun, temps in the 80's, and more sun burn that we care to mention. Generally, in the summer we are much cooler here by Lake Superior than inland. We began in Larch Creek where the water shallow and warm. Camping on Clove Lake we had to hurry to finish supper before a rainstorm hit. One interesting thing was we got to watch a snapper turtle lay eggs in the grass next to our campfire.
July 4: The lake is calm today. The only waves are from the wakes of boats out on the water. We woke to mostly cloudy skies which turned to light rain briefly this morning and was replaced by a white overcast after that. You can just barely make out the horizon as the pale lake blends into a misty horizon line. Temps are in the 70's and feels quite warm without a breeze.
July 3: Superior is calm with a deep blue textured surface. Temps made it into the 70's but feel cool with the gentle wind. The stars came out in full force tonight and the Milky Way looks like you can reach out and touch it. The lilacs are completely done blooming here on the lake. This is the first time I can remember that we will not have lilacs still in bloom on July 4th.
July 2: Woke up to 52 degrees, blue sunny skies with a few small light clouds, and a calm pale blue Lake Superior with a textured surface. The birds are particularly noisy this morning. The lake has a deep navy band near the horizon.
July 1: July welcomes us with a cool breeze, sunny blue skies, and temps in the upper 60's. The lake is calm enough to see all the rocks on its bed.
June 2016
June 30: There was plenty of rain and heavy fog over and beside Gitche Gumi today. When it wasn't raining the fog was so thick you could "cut it with a knife". The lake was mostly calm and for the most part invisible. Temps reached the mid 60's today.
June 29: The day started with partly sunny skies but changed to intermittent rain by the afternoon. Lake Superior had 1-2ft waves from the SSE. Temps were in the 60's.
June 28: It was a beautiful summer day with plenty of sun, a high in the low 70's, and 1-2ft blue waves on Lake Superior.
June 27: We had a strong rainstorm pop up out of nowhere last night around suppertime. Although the clouds partially cleared to see some of the moon and stars during the night, by morning we had light gray overcast skies that continued all day. We ended up with a high of 68 along the lake. Gitche Gumi was a slightly darker gray than the sky with a narrow band of dark gray near the horizon. Waves dissipated through the day and by evening the lake was completely calm.
June 26: It was a windy and sunny day today. The wind kept us in the 60's along Lake Superior. The lake was a deep blue with a narrow brown band about a 400 yards off the shore. The skies were blue with white cumulus clouds later in the day. Lake Superior had 3-4ft waves from the ESE.
June 25: The brightest it was today was before sunrise. After that it got darker with each passing minute as wave after wave of rain storms passed through. We had quite a bit of thunder, a little lightning, and even one bout of pea sized hail. Lake Superior had 4-5ft dark roller waves.
June 24: We have blue skies with small puffs of white clouds. There is virtually no breeze and Lake Superior has no voice today. The pale blue surface has a band of white further out and a dark blue band at the horizon. Temps are rising quickly and without a breeze off the lake we shoud see 70's today.
June 23: The lilacs are now in full bloom. This clump will be removed later this summer to accomodate parking for for the new inn. It is sad to think it is the last time they will bloom but lack of soil in Cook County makes the prospect of sucessfully moving this bush nill. We will plant new lilacs to replace them. Meanwhile the honeysuckles are also coming into full bloom as well. Nothing reminds me more of my youth in rural Faribault than honeysuckles and lilacs. Today was partly cloudy with a light blue mostly calm lake.
June 22: We have partly sunny skies with thin white clouds over the lake. Lake Superior is a pale blue with navy highlights and small 1ft wavess from the SE. The breeze off the lake is uncomfortably cold unless you are in direct sun. Temps today are climbing into the 60's.
June 21: With the summer solstice now past, we begin the long journey back to waning daylight a little by each day. It did feel like summer most of the time today and then the breeze would change and we would be reminded that we are only a change in the wind away from the cold air off of Lake Superior. Most of the day we had partly sunny skies with big puffy cumulus clouds overhead. Temps were in the 70's but could quickly drop into the 50's depending on the breeze. Lake Superior was blue with 1-2ft waves from the SSE.
June 20: The sky was lit up by lightning over the lake last night. It must have been quite far away because the thunder got muffled into the sounds of the Superior. We did have rain and high winds for awhile. By this morning the lake has 3ft waves from the south which is the roughest we have seen the lake for over a week. This morning we have clear blue skies and a dark greenish blue Superior with silver highlights.
June 19: It was a warm Father's Day here along the big lake. Temps were in the 70's. Skies were partly clear and partly white overcast. Lake Superior was placid and a faint calm blue until evening.
June 18: It is a beautiful warm summer day here in Croftville. The lilacs are beginning to bloom which is always a reminder of just how far north we are compared to southern Minnesota. Temps have climbed in to the 70's and we have a comfortable breeze to keep things cool. Skies are a mix of blue and light overcast clouds. The lake is a hazy light blue and calm.
June 17: The radar made it look like we were in for a rip roaring thunderstorm yesterday morning but it swung to the south before it made it to the lake and changed direction to southern Minnesota. Here we had temps approaching 70, a calm pale blue lake, and lightly overcast white skies.
June 16: What a difference a day can make. Sun, clear blue skies, and afternoon highs in the upper 60's. The big lake has a textured blue surface with navy shadows and small 1ft waves coming in straight from the SSE.
June 15: It was a rainy and cold day on Lake Superior with a high in the mid 50's. Lake Superior had limited visibility with the gray surface of the lake diasppearing into the rain and clouds. Waves were 1-2ft from the SSW.
June 14: It was foggy, misty, and windy off the lake today. Skies were white overcast and the lake a uniform gray. Temps didn't even break 50 this morning but finally found the low 50's late this afternoon. Skies over the lake eventually lightened near sunset and the lake turned a dark gray against a crisp white horizon.
June 13: Scattered showers, overcast skies, and strong winds off the lake was the order for today. Temps hovered in the 50's. Lake Superior was a light gray.
June 12: It is cooler today with highs here along the lake in the low 60's. We woke up to a clear blue lake with 1-2ft smooth waves from the SSW. By afternoon the lake is as smooth as glass and the skies have become a white overcast. According to the radar and the reports rain is a sure thing later tonight. The light gray lake melds into the light gray sky.
June 11: It is already in the 60's this morning at 6am. It will be warm here on the shore today with highs in the 70's. Last night we watched a sailboat on the lake making its way through the light fog. We thought for awhile it was some kind of ghost ship.
June 10: We had overcast skies and 2-3ft rollers out on Lake Superior. We also had 2 substantial downpours in the afternoon. By Grand Marais standards it actually felt humid. Skies began to clear in the evening and it was a beautiful night to enjoy a fire.
June 9: Clear blue skies, a clear blue and calm Lake Superior, and a high temperature around 70 made a picture perfect day along the shore.
June 8: It was cold overnight and we even had a frost warning although it was for further inland. The day warmed up nicely with lots of sun and blue skies eventually reaching a high in the 60's.
June 7: It was a beautiful day without rain but the cloud formations south over the lake made it clear there was rain in other areas. It was an amzing array of clouds and cloudbanks hull of whites, blues, purples, and grays. Last night coming back from Duluth we enjoyed an amazing double rainbow with the pot of gold right in downtown Grand Marais.
June 6: We have partly cloudy skies and some sun this morning. Lake Superior is surprisingly calm considering the strong wind. The surface is gray except for a dark gray band right near the horizon. Our sky is stratified with bands of blue and bands of white clouds. The word is for more rain. Temps are in the upper 50's this morning.
June 5: We had some sun in the morning replaced by intermittent rain in the afternoon. It was amazing watching the thunderclouds to our south pass over Superior and northern Wisconsin and Michigan. I bet they got dumped with rain. Temps were quite warm away from the lake in the 60's and maybe 70's. However, down here by the shore it was in the low 50's. I was glad to see a break in the rain so our guests could have a campfire.
June 4: It was raining when I got up in the middle of the night. It was raining when I got up in the morning. It rained all day long without end. It was still raining when I got ready for bed. It never rained heavy, there was never a break in the rain. It was a perfect example of a steady soaking rain the likes I have not seen since living in Eugene, Oregon over 17 years ago. Needless to say, we didn't see much of the gray 2ft roller waves from the SE. Temperatures were in the 50's.
June 3: The skies are lightly overcast temperatures are in the 50's, and Lake Superior is a light gray with brown shadows. Waves are only 1ft from the ESE.
June 2: It was cool out today with a mix of partly cloudy, overcast, and rainy skies throughout the day here in Croftville. Lake Superior is a blusih gray with 2-3ft waves from the SE.
June 1: We had a low this norning of 42 and high temps were in the mid 50's today along Lake Superior. We started the day with overcast skies but they flitted away and left us with a georgeous partly sunny day. Lake Superior has blue 1-2ft waves from the SE. Geese went by overhead and was so loud as they approached that I went to check on our neighbor with images in my head of the Canada Goose version of Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds"
May 2016
May 31: It rained all day today and at times it was heavy. Skies were heavily overcast and the fog made most of Lake Superior invisible. We had 2-3ft waves from the south but we could hear them more than we could see them. The high for the day was 48 and the low this morning was 45. That is what I would call consistently cold weather to bring the end to May.
May 30: We woke up to clear skies overhead and a slight haze at the horizon. Lake Superior is light blue with 2-3ft roller waves from the SSW with the crests sparling in the sun. It looks like it will be a warm day with temps already in the 50's this morning and looking forward to upper 60's this afternoon down here by the lake.
May 29: It rained all day long until about 6:00pm and the skies cleared and the sun came out. What a beautiful evening even better appreciated on this holiday weekend after several days of gray and rainy skies. How amazing to see a clear crisp horizon and watch the planets and then stars come out one by one in the clear night sky.
,br> May 28: It rained all night then continued with spotty rain throughout the day today. The sky is gray. The lake is gray. The horizon is gray about 100 yards from shore. Lake Superior has 1ft waves from the SE with temps in the 50's.
May 27: It was a day of light rain and fog with temps in the 40's and 50's. I can't see the lake except near the shore. Waves began to pick up tonight and I could then at least hear the lake.
May 26: My first day back on Croftville Road and we have limited visibility with the lake seamlessly transitioning to the sky about 100 yards out from shore. We had rain and mist on and off throughout the day and a high in the mid 50's. It was so fun to hear the lake crashing on shore last night while sleeping but the lake is a gray calm today.
May 25: I drove back to Grand Marais today from southern Minnesota. It was warm and rainy in the Twin Cities with temps in the mid 70's already at 8am. The rain follwed us up 35 but the temperatures did not. As we approached Duluth the temperatures dropped as a heavy fog enveloped us near Thompson Hill. By the time we dropped down into Duluth the temperautre was 47. It stayed between 46 and 52 all the way up the shore to Grand Marais with limited visibility from the fog. It was a nice welcome home after the heat from southern Minnesota.
May 24: It is 85 degree afternoon high today in Northfield compared to 57 in Grand Marais. It is fun to have a taste of summer that we might see in Grand Marais come July. I am so struck by the constant high volume traffic in southern Minnesota, I can't wait to get back to our meandering Croftville Road.
May 23: I traveled to southern Minnesota to pick my son up from college. It was so interesting to watch the migration from spring to summer as I drove south. Here ins Grand Marais the birch and aspen are just starting to leaf out with tiny spring yellowish green leaves. By the time I got to Duluth, trees were fully leafed out but still had the spring yellowish green color. By the time we got to the Twin Cities, the yellowish green was gone and the dark green colors of summer was all around. I left Grand Marais at 51 degrees and entered Northfield at 81.
May 22: Lake Superior is back to a blue glass with ripples from the SE. You can faintly recognize the horizon that is almost seamless with the lake. Overhead we have blue skies and right arounf 60 at noon. We enjoyed a group of ducks, a group of gulls, and welcomed our first 2 hummingbirds last night by the fire.
May 21: Lake Superior is showing a little motion today with 1-2ft waves from the SE which setlled back down to glass by dusk. It was hot and getting hotter this morning with the strong wind blowing down from the hill. But wind directions began to change and everytime the breeze came off the lake we dropped from the upper 60's to the 40's immediately.
May 20: I can't believe we have another day of glass on Lake Superior. It is almost eerie to not hear the sound of the movement on the lake. All the other sounds like bird calls, people talking on the shore or in their boats, and even traffic from the distant highway are amplified. As you turn your ears towards the lake the silence absorbs all other noises.
May 19: It was a gorgeous spring day in Croftville. Lake Superior was glassy calm again today. There is fog that keeps rising, lowering, coming in, and going out on the lake. Sometimes you can see the horizon but most of the time you cannot. Even when you think you do see the horizon the fog with its mirages may be fooling you. Highs are in the upper 50's and even maybe the 60's. It was so good to sit out by the fire and watch birds pass by. We saw mallards, gulls, a bald eagle, and even two loons out on the lake.
May 18: We have clear purplish blue skies and a glassy Lake Superior today. There were 4 fishing boats off shore this morning. We could here the people's voices transmitting along on the glassy surface of the lake. It was almost like sitting in the boats with them. The wakes of the boats found their way to shore when the boats left interupting the surface with small ripples.
May 17: Happy Sytennde Mai! It was a beautiful sunny day out today with temps in the 40's and 50's. Lake Superior is a glassy blue with ripples. The rocks on the lake bed are all clearly visible.
May 16: Lake Superior is mostly calm. It's color kept changing as our sky cover kept changing from rain, to overcast, to cloudy, to partly sunny. Temps climbed their way into the 50's today in Croftville.
May 15: We had a beautiful spring day here along the lake until late in the day when some light rain took over. Temps were in the 40's and 50's and the lake was a brilliant blue.
May 14: We were below freezing for the morning low with temps gradually rising into the 40's. It is a light overcast sky with a dark gray lake with a textured surface.
May 13: Lake Superior is gray, overcast, and mostly calm. It is cold outside today with a high in the morning of 48 with the temps dropping throughout the day.
May 12: The gentle rain overnight really helped to green the vegetation up today. We have fog over the lake and occasionally over the land with limited visibility. Temperatures are in the 50's. Lake Superior is mostly calm and gray in color until the horizon disappears into the fog.
May 11: It was warm when we woke up in the upper 40's but it only got to the low 50's today. We had mostly cloudy skies with a few sprinkles this afternoon. Lake Superior was a dark blue with whitecaps and 2-3ft waves from the ESE. May 10: Apparently everyone in the state had rain today except our tip of the arrowhead. It was fairly warm with highs in the mid 60's hear along the lake. The big lake had whitecaps on the 3-4ft deep blue waves from the ESE. The trees in Grand Marais are beginnning to bud but not much action here on Croftville Road yet.
May 9: Lake Superior has 2-3ft waves from the ESE. The lake is a steel blue away from shore and a steel gray closer to shore. Overhead the skies are clear but sort of hazy. The haze may be from the Alberta fires.
May 8: It was sunny, breezy, and cold along the lake with afternoon temps climbing into the 50's. Lake Superior was nearly glass allowing us to see the rocks on the lake bed.
May 7: The winds from yesterday have subsided. It warmed up late yesterday and ovenight only got down into the upper 40's. Lake Superior is almost periwinkle in color with navy shadows against a white hazy horizon. The surface is textured but has only 6" to 1ft waves from the SSE. Overhead we have clear purplish blue skies. I suspect the purplish tint to the skies over the past few days has to do with the fires up in Alberta.
May 6: I traveled down to Two Harbors today while chaperoning for a middle school band competition. It was 93 degrees when we left to return in the afternoon. With west winds coming down from the hills Lake Superior couldn't stop Two Harbors from being the hot spot in the entire nation. All the windows in the bus were wide open with the students complaining about the heat until we got to Ilgen City which is about 30 miles up the shore. In less than a mile, the temperatures dropped almost 40 degrees. The sound of the bus windows all being closed shut was quite a remarkable noise. By the time we got back to Grand Marais it was only 45 degrees.
May 5: Overhead we have a purplish blue sky which turns to a misty blue sky over Lake Superior. The lake is nearly calm with a fainter purplish blue hue. Although we began the morning in the 30's it is expected to make it into the upper 60's today. I am skeptical but time will tell.
May 4: There are clear blue skies and a blue lake with a navy shadows today. Look like tempes will rise from the upper 30's into maybe the low 60's today. Lake Superior has 2ft roller waves from the SE. There is a lot of water fowl traffic on the lake this morning. They keep fooling me into thinking there is a small child yelling.
May 3: We have alternating rain and black skies followed by sun and blue skies today in Croftville. The lake is mostly calm with a textured surface but its coloring changes as rapidly as the skies do. Temps started in the 30's but has climberd into the 50's.
May 2: It feels warm in the sun and cold in the shade today. Lake Superior is a calm faint blue with a rippled surface. The skies are a deep almost purplish blue today.
May 1: High temps were in the low 50's today along Lake Superior. We had partly cloudy skies with plenty of sun. Lake Superior was a deep blue with 1ft waves from the SE.
April 2016
Apr 30: Lake Superior is dark blue with black shadows and silver highlights. We have 1-2ft waves from the SE. Skies are partly cludy with puffy cumulus clouds. Temps rose into the low 50's today.
Apr 29: Lake Superior is calm and light blue with 6" ripples from the SE. The skies are partly cloudy dotted with large cumulus cotton balls. Temps today have risen into the 50's.
Apr 28: A beautiful and yet chilly spring day here on the Croftville Road. Lake Superior was a brilliant blue with 2-3ft waves from the ESE. Skies were blue and clear with a nice breeze in the air.
Apr 27: We were in the 30's overnight and hope the clear blue skies will warm things up more today than yesterday. Lake Superior has 1-2ft bluish purple waves from the SE against a nearly white horizon. There was a loon swimming and calling in front of Croftville Road Cottages this morning.
Apr 26: It was clear and cold today. The winds made the temps in the upper 30's feel much colder. Lake Superior was blue with navy shadows with 2ft waves from the SE.
Apr 25: Big waves, rain, and high winds was our experience on Croftville Road today. The wind gusts at times wanted to knock you off you feet. The rain sometimes turned to snow and sleet. The big brown waves crested at 4-5ft as they churned up the lake and buffeted the shore.
Apr 24: We had rain this morning and throught last night. Temps barely found their way out of the 30's today. Lake Superior was gray and overcast with waves picking up later in the day with the brisk winds.
Apr 23: We have a dark horizon against a faint silver blue calm lake this morning. The first mile from shore the lake has a textured surface but then turns to a glassy surface that almost looks like ice. Overhead we have white overcast skies and temps are in the low 40's.
Apr 22: We have a bright blue lake with navy shadows and 1ft waves coming in straight from the SSE today. Skies are sunny and blue but it is cold. Our afternoon high was only in the mid 40's in spite of the sun high in the sky and all puddles were ice this morning.
Apr 21: Lake Superior is calm wih just ripples for waves today. It is a silver blue against a hazy horizon and a small string of clouds over the lake. Overhead we have clear blue skies and expect temps in the upper 40's today.
Apr 20: It was a beautiful day on the Croftville Road. The morning was sunny, the afternoon was lightly overcast. Lake Superior had 1-2ft waves from the south and was a light blue. Temps stayed in the low 40's along the lake.
Apr 19: Although we had a decent amount of sun, temps stayed in the mid 40's here along the shore in Croftville. Overnight it drops to the mid 30's. Lake Superior is a grayish blue.
Apr 18: There was steady rain and mist most of the day. Temps stayed in the low 40's and Lake Superior was a uniform gray with 1-2ft roller waves
Apr 17: We had an overnight low of 42 and will probably have a high around 50 today. Lake Superior is keeping our temperatures from rising as high as other places in northern Minnesota. Rain and overcast skies is predicted for later today but right now we have clear blue skies. The big lake has 1-2ft waves from the SE. There is a brownish band near the shore, probably from the runoff, and a silver blue band further out.
Apr 16: A beautiful spring day was had by all in Croftville today. The lake was a dark blue gray with 2-3ft waves from the SSE. There were mostly clear skies and temps in the low 50's.
Apr 15: The feel of spring in the air continues. How refreshing it is to wake up without subfreezing temperatures meeting you. I am sure we are still a ways from our last frost, but for right now we are enjoying the spring weather along Croftville Road.
Apr 14: I think I can say that today felt like the true first day of spring here in Croftville. A good breeze, sunny skies, and temps in the upper 40's felt so good here along the North Shore. Lake Superior was bright blue.
Apr 13: Lake Superior was roaring today with 3-4ft waves from the south. We had partly sunny skies and temps stayed above freezing after a morning low of 28. The word is that this should be the last of subfeezing temps for the next week or more. I could use a warm spell like this and am hoping it comes to pass. Once again we saw 2 ore freighters on the lake today. I guess shipping season is in full force.
Apr 12: It was cold and overcast this morning but the afternoon cleared up and got much warmer than they expected. The highest temp I saw was 42 degrees which feels like a heat wave compared to what we have had the last few weeks. I even saw someone running Croftville Road in their shirt sleeves. We saw 3 ore freighters passing by today, one was really close to shore this morning. It must have been poor weather on the south shore of Lake Superior.
Apr 11: Lake Superior has 2-3ft gray rollers with a textured surface from the SSW today. The wind gusts are powerful and off the lake. There are times I think they will knock me over. Temperatures stayed at freezing last night and probably will not hit 40 today with the overcast skies.
Apr 10: Lake Superior really picked up steam last night. By morning we had 4-5ft thunderous waves from the SSE pounding into the shore and an inch of fresh fluffy snow. Skies are gray overcast and temperatures rose ovenight to above freezing. The lake hase 2 bands, the brownish gray band near the shore from the churning up of the lake bottom by the waves and the greenish gray band further out.
Apr 9: We woke up to 12 degrees this morning after the sun had already been up for an hour. I suspect it got into the single digits last night. Temperatures rose quickly to freezing by noon but once again began to drop quickly in the midafternoon. I am tired of this cold. I am ready for spring. Lake Superior was a beautiful uniform blue with 1-2ft waves from the SE.
Apr 8: Yikes, it was above freezing at 2pm and then the temperatures began to plummet. It is only 14 degrees right now before bedtime. We had an unusual snowstorm this afternoon. It lasted less than an hour and dropped about 2" of fluffy snow. We were driving home from Grand Marais with blue skies overhead and saw what looked like a dense fog bank ahead on the road. We thought this was unusual but when we drove into it, it was an instant heavy snowstorm. It ended as abruptly as it started leaving us with the large fluffy snow on the ground and blue skies once again overhead.
Apr 7: It is about 10 degree colder today along the shore. We have almost sunny skies but there is a little bit of haze in the air. Lake Superior has 3ft gray waves with silver highlights from the ESE.
Apr 6: The good news: it stayed above freezing last night. The bad news: we woke to 5" of heavy wet snow on the ground here on Croftville Road. I like snow, but I do not like April snow. We are tired of it and ready for spring. The snow has now turned to a light rain and the prospect for sun today is small. We climbed into the mid 40's this afternoon. Lake Superior is gray with a brownish tint near shore and a bluish tint further out. We have 2-3ft waves from the SE.
Apr 5: It is another chilly morning with temps in the 20's and bright blue skies. The prediction is for more snow later today. Lake Superior is a dull blue with silver highlights and black shadows. Waves are 2-3ft from the south.
Apr 4: We woke up to teens but the blue skies and sun quickly got us into the low 30's. Lake Superior had 3-4ft blue roller waves from the SE with a slightly textured surface. By noon the waves changed to 2ft blue waves with a highly textured surface, green shadows, and coming from the SSE.
Apr 3: Welcome back winter. Temps are in the 20's and 30's. We had 4-5 inches of snow coming down this morning starting at daybreak. It has stopped for the afternoon but we have been assured we should see another 3-4" tonight. In the meantime, temps in southern Minnesota are in the 60's. Lake Superior is roaring with 3-4ft waves from the SE. There is a reddish band close to shore and the rest of the lake is greenish blue with lots of whitecaps.
Apr 2: They have been predicting snow for today but the most we have are snow flurries. Most of the snow came down south of us in Duluth. It is cold enough for snow but we got lucky and missed it. Lake Superior has 2-4ft gray waves with whitecap that can be seen further out.
Apr 1: It is a partly sunny spring day here on Croftville Road. Lake Superior has 2-3ft waves from the SE and temps are in the 30's and 40's.
March 2016
Mar 31: It is a sunny spring day along the shores of Lake Superior with temps in the 30's and 40's. Lake Superior has 1-2ft waves from the SE.
Mar 30: It looks like a day of rain after rain moved in sometime during the night. Lake Superior is gray and calm with a rippled surface this morning. The horizon line is fuzzy with the light rain coming down. Temperature overnight was 42.
Mar 29: Lake Superior was mostly calm and smooth today. Occasionally we could see some 6" waves making their way to shore. The lake was a pale blue but not as pale as the horizon behind it. Temps topped out in the mid 40's today and ovehead we had faintly overcast skies here in Croftville.
Mar 28: It is a beautiful sunny day with temps in the 40's. Lake Superior is a light blue with navy shadows against a faint blue horizon. There are only small 1ft waves from the SE.
Mar 27: We woke up to snow coming down this Easter morning. The snow kept coming down until noon but the less than 1" accumulation was gone by midafternoon. Temps were just above freezing this morning and managed to climb into the upper 30's this afternoon. Lake Superior was blue with a rippled surface. We had a small breeze coming off the lake.
Mar 26: It was misting and overcast today with temps in the lower 30's along Superior. The lake was gray and the horizon vanished into the mist coming down on the lake.
Mar 25: We had sun at times in Croftville. Temps were right above freezing. The shore was a blue gray with 2-3ft waves coming from the ESE. You could see occasional whitecaps out further.
Mar 24: Croftville found its way to 40 degrees today with blue skies, sun, and a breeze. Our snow on the shore continues to melt. The 3-4ft ESE waves on Superior have 3 bands of color. Near the shore it is reddish brown, inbetween we have a band of transluscent green, and further out and to the horizon we have the largest band of steel blue. We have heard the first freighter left Duluth 2 days ago but so far we haven't seen any ships.
Mar 23: Waves are again from the ESE around 3-4ft with whitecaps. Temps are hovering in the 30's and the skies are lightly ovecast with the sun peeking through at times. The moon tonight is beautiful but partly shadowed by the light overcast sky.
Mar 22: It was a gray overcast day with strong 3-4ft waves with whitecaps from the ESE. The lake was a steel blue except for the brown band near the shore. Temps managed to get above freezing and we almost had sun in the afternoon which allowed for some melting.
Mar 21: It was a gorgeous sunrise today. Lake Superior's rippled surface is a metallic gray with blinding reflections against a pale blue horizon. Overhead we have clear blue skies. Temperatures have not yet made their way to freezing.
Mar 20: It was a beautiful sunny day in Croftville. Temps were in the mid 30's and the sun was slowly melting some of the snow we got last Wednesday. Lake Superior was a brilliant blue with small ripples of waves coming from the SSW.
Mar 19: We drove back from southern Minnesota today. It was so refreshing to see clear skies begining in Pine City and staying so all the way to Grand Marais. Temps are still hovering around freezing but the lake is a bright blue with black shadows and small waves from the south. Passing through Duluth it was fascinating to see the reddish brown flow of water from the Saint Louis River pushing far out into the blue lake.
Mar 18: We are in Northfield today picking up our son for spring break. Temperatures are around freezing and snow flurries have been coming down all day without accumulation but sometimes limiting visibility. We are told temps are also around freezing in Grand Marais but there are georgeous blue skies.
Mar 17: We ended up with about 8" of this sopping wet snow here in Croftville by the time it stopped today. With temperatures dropping back below freezing it looks like it will stick around longer than we had hoped.
Mar 16: Lake Superior has picked up steam today with 4-5ft waves from the SE pounding into the shore. The lake is a reddish brown for the first 100 yards out and then turns to a translucent blue before it disappears into the falling snow about 200 yards out. The rain turned into heavy snow this morning. So far we have about 4" of heavy wet snow on the ground.
Mar 15: There are 3-4ft waves from the ESE today. They are greenish blue away from the shore with whitecaps. As we get closer to shore the waves turn to a brownish green with muddy gray shadows. Skies are overcast but the horizon line is clear and temperautres are in the low 40's.
Mar 14: We woke up to a mist and then the fog rolled in and stayed all day long. Never got to see the horizon off the lake. Lake Superior was a pale blue gray that morphed seamlessly into a white fog about 200 yard off the shore. Temps were in the 30's and 40's and our snow continues to melt.
Mar 13: We woke up with overcast clouds over the lake and a dark blue front on the lake's horizon. Overhead we still have blue skies. The overnight low was only 46. Our guests did the best they could to have camp fires in spite of the wood being wetter than ideal with the melting snow.
Mar 12: Wow! Temperatures in the 50's today. Our snow is melting fast with the sun out in full force and the warm air. Lake Superior is a brilliant blue with 1-2ft waves from the SE. We went to Duluth shopping and there is no snow left in Duluth except the piles from the snow plows.
Mar 11: Gitche Gumi was light blue glass most of today. The sun overhead was so refreshing and our snow on the shore continued to melt. Afternoon temps were in the 40's.
Mar 10: Over the lake it is a white overcast with light snow coming down. We have accumulated less than an inch so far this morning. The big lake is bluish gray and calm this morning with the horizon line vanishing into the sky a couple hundred yards from the shore. Even with the snow temps stayed above freezing last night here along the lake.
Mar 9: It was in the low 40's when we woke up and stayed in the low 40's all day as the snow continues to melt even with the ansence of the sun. Lake Superior had 2-3ft waves again from the SE.
Mar 8: Lake Superior has 2-3ft waves from the SE. There is no sun today and looks like rain could come down but so far it hasn't. Yes, I did say rain not snow. It stayed in the 40's overnight and looks like that is where the temperatures will stay all day today. Not too much melting without the sun.
Mar 7: Lake Superior has stark blue 2-3ft waves from the SE with blinding reflections in the direction of the sun. There are clear blue skies everywhere and temperatures barely dropped below freezing last night.
Mar 6: It feels like spring today. We woke up just below freezing and the strong sun in the clear blue skies quickly had us in the 40's. Lake Superior is a purplish blue except close to shore which is a blue with green tones in it. We have 1-2ft waves from the SSE.
Mar 5: We woke up to 2 inches of fresh fluffy snow this morning. It wasn't too much work to shovel away but by the time March is here snow shoveling not matter how little seems like an endless chore. Lake Superior is blue against a very faint blue horizon. The lake is pretty calm.
Mar 4: It was a partly sunny day with high temps right around freezing. Lake Superior had 2-3ft waves. Late in the afternoon the skies became overcast and a snow/rain mist started to fall. Apparently, we just got a dusting compared to the snow and rain to the south.
Mar 3: Ice is the name of the game today. With temperautres hovering right around the freezing mark, snow melts in the sun and then refreezes as ice on the frozen ground. Graveling doesn't help much since it is soon buried in a new layer of ice. Lake Superior is a pale blue.
Mar 2: It was 0 degrees when I got to the office this morning. Lake Superior is calm with just a few wisps of clouds in the sky. There is some ice for about 50 feet from the shore, the rest of the lake has a textured blue surface. You can see small gusts of wind moving over the surface.
Mar 1: March came in cold with 4 below zero here in Croftville this morning. Even with the clear blue skies it took until mid-afternoon before we got to our high of 21 and then temps began to sink quickly again. The lake is now cold enough that without waves and cold temps Superior's surface will form ice. We could see vast sheets of thin light blue ice out on the lake this morning with patches of textured surfaces of open water.
February 2016
Feb 29: It got cold overnight. We woke up to clear skies but temps had dropped down to near zero. We won't get out of the mid teens today. The sun feels so good and the lake is a crisp blue with black shadows and white hightlights. The wind is brisk.
Feb 28: We had bouts of snow inbetween bouts of sun today. The waves are huge and the wind is strong. Temperatures are in the 20's and 30's.
Feb 27: We have clear blue skies overhead but the horizon and sunrise are cloaked by a pink and dark blue cloudbank. The big lake has 2-3ft waves from the south. The surface is a reflective silver with greenish black shadows.
Feb 26: The strong winds from yesterday and today worked Lake Superior into a frenzy this afternoon with 4-5ft waves from the SSE pounding the shore. The noise was almost deafening. Temps were comfortable for this time of year waking up in the upper 20's and climbing into the 30's today without any help from the sun.
Feb 25: We have strong winds today making the temps in the 20's feel much colder than they really are. With partly cloudy skies it is nice to see the sun occasionally. When the sun was out Lake Superior is a briliant blue.
Feb 24: Overnight it was in the upper 20's. Today we have seen 30's and just got up to 40 here along the lake. The wet snow/rain mix from yesterday had to shoveled out today. We have partly cloudy skies and a biright blue Lake Superior with dark navy shadows. Waves are 2-3ft from the ESE with a comfortable breeze off the lake.
Feb 23: After snowing and raining all day and accumulating about 3" of slush, I am not in the mood to talk about snow. Temps today were in the 30's and low 40's. The most amazing sight however has been at night. With the moon full last night and nearly full tonight we have the most amazing moonscapes with the full moon reflecting off the lake, the ice on the shore, and the snow. It is like daylight in the sense that everything can be clearly seen but the reflections and shadows are quite different.
Feb 22: It was in the 20's from when we got up to the end of the day today. Lightly overcast skies kept the temperatures steady. Lake Superior had small 1-2ft gray waves from the SE. Although some sun would be nice, it was a good day to venture outdoors.
Feb 21: The rain turned to snow here in Croftville last night. We have about 2" of fresh fluffy stuff over the crusty snow and ice sheets below. Our low overnight was 20 here next to the lake. Superior is a greenish gray with 2ft waves from the SE.
Feb 20: It lightly rained all day today creating sheets of ice over the frozen snow and ground. Lake Superior was just one shade darker than the the gray sky. Temps were in the 30's and 40's.
Feb 19: The snow turned to rain last night so we now have 2" of crusty snow that is frozen to the ground with a light rain coming down. I hope it warms up enough today so the snow gets soft and I can shovel before our guests arrive. Skies are a gray overcast and Lake Superior has 2 bands of color, a brownish gray near the shore and a bluish gray further out. We have 3-4ft waves from the SE.
Feb 18: I traveled to Duluth with overcast skies and freezing rain coming down intermittantly all day. Lake Superior had 3-4ft waves all day except once I got near Duluth and it was mostly iced in. Temps are right around freezing.
Feb 17: We had a frigid night of 4 below that came out of nowhere last night, but it has warmed up nicely today in the 20's. Lake Superior 1ft blue waves with navy shadows from the south. There is a gentle wind coming off the lake and we have mostly clear blue skies overhead.
Feb 16: The light overcast skies feels like it could snow. Temps stayed in the upper 20's last night and today. Lake Superior is a light blue gray with a textured surface but no waves. Only the horizon over the lake is dark blue.
Feb 15: We woke up to 3 inches of snow and shoveling. It hovered right around freezing most of the afternoon. Lake Superior was blue with partially cloudy skies overhead.
Feb 14: Temps rose overnight and we are in the 20's this afternoon in Croftville. With the rise in temps also came the strong wind off the lake. With the disappearance of the subzero temps the steam off the lake and the dark low hanging cloudbank over Superior are gone. Also gone is the ice we saw on the lake yesterday. Lake Superior has 3-4ft bluish green waves from the SSE roaring outside.
Feb 13: No question about it, there is clearly ice cubes forming on the surface of a calm Lake Superior this morning. Of course, it is 11 below. The ducks are no fools, they are swimming around in the lake. 32 degree water is much warmer than 11 below air. With the cold of course we have clear skies overhead and the steam rising into the low hanging cloudbank over the lake.
Feb 12: Lake Superior is calm and light blue against a dark clear blue sky overhead. That is of course, except for the low hanging cloud over the middle of the lake. There is almost no wind today but it is cold. Temps began the day at 2 below then dropped during the day.
Feb 11: It was a cold day out there today. We started with 4 below and climbed to a high in double digits. Not too bad, considering, but it was that wind that was the killer today. Best stay inside unless absolutely necessary to go out. It is a good day to watch the steam rise off of Lake Superior and rise into the great cloud that has formed over the lake.
Feb 10: What a sunrise. It was 13 below this morning on the lake. Steam was rising off the lake and up into a low dark gray cloud bank that blanketed the horizon. As the sun peaked over the cloud bank, it's yellow glow lit the tips if the clouds and refected off the blue gray lake. For the first time this season I saw small chunks of ice on the lake surface. Could the lake have cooled down enough for it to begin to freeze. We will know soon, it is supposed to remain cold for the next 3 days.
Feb 9: Lake Superior is stunning this morning. It has 1-2ft blue gray roller waves from the SE. The horizon is a dark gray with white puffy clouds a little above it. Some of the sun is backlighting the clouds. Some of the sun is making it through reflecting white and silver off the lake. The morning low was 5 degrees and we don't expect for it to get much warmer, maybe in the low teens.
Feb 8: We got another 3" of fluffy snow last night. Temperatures have fallen into the single digits last night and are expected to be below zero for lows all this week. Lake Superior is a calm placid gray which blends alomost seamlessly into the sky as flurries continue.
Feb 7: Grand Marais had 4-5" of a wet snow/rain come down today. Further to the south as we traveled back from Northfield all there was was rain from Minneapolis to Cook County. It was 43 in Minnepolis and 38 in Duluth. By the time we got to Grand Marais it was 28.
Feb 6: We are away today in Rochester and I really miss the big lake. Someone told me last night that they really missed Lake Superior not having been there since the fall. I responded that I really miss it not having seen it for 10 hours. I think she thought I was joking, but I was not. It is nice to celebrate with family and I will see Gitche Gumi tomorrow night.
Feb 5: We traveled south to Rochester today after shoveling out 2" of snow that had fallen overnight. Temps were in the 20's here but rised steadily as we went south. It was 40 degrees by the time we made it to Rochester. However, the snow from the blizzard on Tuesday in southern Minnesota could be seen everywhere.
Feb 4: We didn't get the big storm this week in Grand Marais but we have been getting snow 1-3" at a time instead. It was another day of shoveling out from 2" of fresh snow here by the lake. It is cold again in the teens for a high. The skies were clear last night and the stars were breathtaking in the crisp night.
Feb 3: It is windy out today. The horizon to the south is a dark, dark gray showing the large snowstorm that just grazed us her along the North Shore but clobbered people in southern Minnesota and Wisconsin yesterday. We had an inch or two of snow last night but with the winds blowing the snow around it is hard to tell how much. It is also colder today and I don't think we will see 20 today. Lake Superior has a mostly calm black and white textured surface. You can watch the gusts of wind hit the surface and disseminate out across the lake.
Feb 2: Temps stayed in the 20's today. Skies were a white overcast and the big lake was gray. It looks like the winter storm to the south of us is going to mostly miss us. Winds have begun to pick up this afternoon.
Feb 1: It was a sunny first day of February. Temps were in the 20's and low 30's. Lake Superior was a striking blue.
January 2016
Jan 31: There are clear blue skies overhead with thin cirrus clouds over Lake Superior. Lake Superior has 1ft roller waves on a textured surface. The sun's reflection off the lake makes it a blinding white. Elsewhere the lake surface has white highlights and drk blue shadows.
Jan 30: Teresa woke up to about 5" of wet snow this morning. That means a lot of work but the nice part is today's weather. It climbed to 40 degrees here along the lake and when the sun was out it almost felt like spring. Lake Superior was an azure blue in the sunlight.
Jan 29: It is overcast with light snow this morning. They are predicting heavy snow up to 5" later today but for now the snow flurries are beautiful and enjoyable even though more shoveling is on the way. Our guests tell us the the ski trails on Pincushion are in fantastic condition. Our skis are still put away in storage during our inn construction but I look forward to getting back out on the trails next winter. Temps are in the 20's along the shore.
Jan 28: I spent the day traveling to and from Duluth after plowing and shoveling 4" of fresh snow that fell yesterday afternoon and last night. Lake Superior was a brilliant blue along the way and surprisingly calm. With the Soo Locks closed, it is funny not to see ore freighters or other ships on the lake somewhere along a Duluth road trip from Grand Marais. Temperatures were in the 20's and 30's.
Jan 27: Temps dropped into the teens last night and rebounded into the 20's this morning. Gitche Gumi is roaring with southern 4-5 foot greenish gray waves. You can see substantial whitecaps out further from shore. Snow is predicted for this afternoon.
Jan 26: Plenty of snow shoveling to take care of this morning but it was beautiful out with temps in the 20's and a lightly overcast white sky. Lake Superior was a bluish gray all the way to the horizon.
Jan 25: We traveled to Duluth today with snow covered road from Lutsen on. By the time we returned Grand Marais had 3" of fresh snow. The snow is beautiful. The white skies obscured our view of Superior which was a dark gray.
Jan 24: An inch of snow fell overnight. Temperatures remain in the 20's even through the night. Lake Superior is many shades of gray with 1ft waves from thr SSE. Skies are a gray overcast this morning.
Jan 23: It is another beautiful day with blue skies overhaed and wispy clouds over the lake. It is in the 20's with a brisk wind and you can feel moisture in the air. They are predicting light snow for tonight. Lake Superior has 1-2ft blue waves with navy shadows from the SE.
Jan 22: It is a beautiful day with blue skies overhead and wispy clouds over the lake. Lake Superior has 1ft blue waves with navy shadows from the SE. There was a low of 9 but the sun quickly warmed us up into the 20's.
Jan 21: Today we have temps in the 20's along the shore with mostly cloudy skies and small patches of blue. Lake Superior is calm and gray and you can see gusts of wind buffet the surface and move out onto the lake.
Jan 20: Lake Superior is a uniform gray with 1ft waves coming straight in from the SSE. Skies are a white overcast with light fluffy snowflakes coming down. Temps began in the teen and rose into the 20's today.
Jan 19: Overnight was only 2 below here on Lake Superior. Do I dare call this a heat wave? It is expected to warm into the teens this afternoon. We have clear blue skies except over the lake. Lake Superior is calm with only ripples on tis silver blue surface aghainst the dark dark gray horizon.
Jan 18: We had a high of 2 above here along the lake with morning temps of 10 below. It is cold, it is windy, and it chills you to the bone to be outside. Lake Superior is spectacular with the steam rising off its surface and it waves creating amazing ice sculptures along the shore.
Jan 17: It is too cold and windy today for man to be outside. We have a high around 10 below and high winds which drop the wind chills down into the 40 below area. It is a great day to watch the steam rise off the lake while sitting next to a fire.
Jan 16: Colder temperatures this morning and continuing to fall today. We are at 8 degrees at noon heading to subzero highs the next few days. Looks like for right now we are the high temperature in the state of Minnesota. Skies are an overcast gray with the lake almost the very same hue. Lake Superior is calm with a slightly rippled surface.
Jan 15: Woke up to a total of 5" of fluffy snow from yesterday and last night. Temperatures are in the 20's today with white overcast skies above us. Over the lake we have mostly dark cloudy skies with a few rays of sun poking through. Lake Superior has 1-2ft silver gray waves with army green shadows from the SE. Lots of shoveling to do.
Jan 14: Went to bed at 8 below, woke up to 8 above. Quite a change overnight here along the lake. Skies are a bluish gray overcast with light snow coming down. We have about 1" of accumulation from this morning to 3pm. The lake only has about a quarter mile visibility. We have 2ft bluish green waves with dark olive shadows from the SE.
Jan 13: At only 4 below this morning it is possible the cold mass of air is beginning to thaw. We have dark overcast skies this morning not giving the sun a chance to make its presence known. Lake Superior is again surprisingly calm with a textured silver and black surface. The dark horizon makes it easy to see the white steam curling up off the lake surface.
Jan 12: It was another cold day but Lake Superior kept us much warmer than many others in Minnesota. We finally crept a little above zero in the afternoon before falling below by sunset. Lake Superior had a silver blue textured surface with a dark horizon. Above the horizon was the bank of white clouds hovering over the lake as steam rises off the surface.
Jan 11: It was our coldest morning of the winter with 6 below here beside the lake. Skies are clear, the lake is calm with a rippled silver gray textured surface. The horizon is a dark blue over the UP with a puffy white cloud bank hovering out over the lake with small whirlwinds if steam rising off the surface. Above the cloudbank is the sun obscured partially by a white haze.
Jan 10: It was 2 below this morning and we had a high of 8 down here along the lake. Since the lake still has no ice on it we can bet that it is 10-15 cooler inland from the lake. Lake Superior is pretty calm. With the cold temperatures we can see the little curlicues of steam lifting off the surface. And a large white cloud is assembling over the lake. Elsewhere we have sun and clear blue skies.
Jan 9: It was down to 15 this morning. As we traveled to Duluth for the day we saw temps drop all day long. By the time we returned to Grand Marais it was just 6 degrees here alongh the lake. Inland the temps are reported to be well below zero. Lake Superior was stunning today with the clear blue skies and sunshine make the surface of the lake a silvery blue.
Jan 8: We had temperatures in the upper 30's today with light snow and rain coming down all day. All together we probably got 2-3 inches of snow/slush accumulated. Skies were white overcast and Lake Superior was a light gray. Temps are to plummet this evening so any of the slush we want to remove had to be done before dark.
Jan 7: Lake Superior is a light blue with dark gray shadows and 1-2ft waves from the SE. Skies are white with intermittent light snow coming down. We got less than an inch overnight. Temps remain in the 30's.
Jan 6: Yesterday was high winds and high waves. Today the air is still and the lake is a calm uniform light gray. Skies are lightly overcast with temperatures in the 30's aalong the lake.
Jan 5: Overnight we only got down to 30 here by the lake with strong winds from the lake blowing at us. At sunrise we have dark gray overcast skies. There is only one break in the overcast right on the lake horizon where there is a sliver of open sky. As the sun broke over the horizon that small slit produced a pure red light that waxed as the sun rose and then waned as the sun rose behind the overcast skies. The whole event lasted less than 10 minutes but it was spectacular. Now all that is left is a faint orange glow near the horizon. Lake Superior is buffeting the shore with 3-4ft waves and whitecaps from the south.
Jan 4: Temps have rose steadily today starting around 20 and now at 35 at 7pm. You can feel moisture in the air which really makes you cold in the brisk breeze. Lake Superior is blue with 2-3ft waves. We have partly cloudy skies but very little sun.
Jan 3: We have lightly overcast skies, a calm blue gray Lake Superior, and temps in the 20's and low 30's. After a chilly wind yesterday, it is a great day to be outside.
Jan 2: Wow, clear blue skies this morning. I can't remember the last time we had a sunny day. Temps are hovering around freezing. Lake Superior has 3ft waves coming straight in from the SSE. The lake is a pleasant pure blue after what seems like an endless stream of near gray surfaces.
Jan 1: We have mostly cloudy skies against a steel gray lake and 3ft waves from the SE. Every once in awhile some rays of sun make their way through the purplish blue heavy clouds. Temps are in the 20's with highs approaching 30. Happy New Year's Day.