Four Season Cottages and Vacation Suites
On the Shore of Lake Superior
Grand Marais, Minnesota
December 2022
Dec 31: We had a low of 16 and a high of 34 to end 2022. Skies were overcast or cloudy most of the day. Lake Superior had 1-2ft grayish blue waves from the south. No one was really expecting snow but we did get light rain followd by 1-2" of wet snow that began around 10pm and was pretty much done shortly after midnight to bring in 2023.
Dec 30: Lake Superior has 1-2ft metallic blue waves from the south this morning. Skies are cloudy over the lake and overcast over the land. There is a small break in the clouds near the horizon where the orange rising sun is shining through and relfecting off the lake. It is 29 degrees this morning and we had 1-2" of fluffy snow that dropped striaght down without any wind during the night.
Dec 29: We had a thaw today waking up to 31 degrees with a high of 39. There was no sun with gray overcast skies. Lake Superior was a darker bluish gray with just 1ft waves from the SSE. The thawing ice on the roads are making the covered roads and streets really slick.
Dec 28: We woke up to 29 degrees this morning as temps continued to rise through the night. I saw the moon setting behind the cloud cover about 4am this morning. It backlit the clouds making it look like Grand Marais was on fire. This morning we have overcast and cloud covered skies everywhere. Lake Superior has dark greenish blue 2ft waves from the SE.
Dec 27: We had bouts of snow today but never long enough to have any significant accumulation. Our total for the day was about a half inch. Skies were lightly overcast. We had 1ft dark blue green waves from the SSW. Our low was 14 probably at midnight and our high was 24 again at midnight with temps slowly creeping up through the entire day.
Dec 26: At sunset we are at our high so far for the day at 14 degrees. It dropped down to 2 degrees again this morning. Winds are now light but picked up a little later this afternoon. Skies have been a light white overcast. The Big Lake has 1-2ft waves that are coming from a very oblique angle from the SW. The lake is a deep blue in spite of the light overcast sky. This morning there was the dark cloudmass over the middle of the lake with the steam curliques rising from the water surface. The cloudmass disipated during the day.
Dec 25: Our morning low was 2 and our high today was 12. It was nice to have the sun come out for the afternoon. Our morning started with no wind but once the sun came up and added a bit of energy to the atmosphere the winds from the north returned but not as bracing and ferocious as the past few days. Lake Superior had 2-3ft steel blue waves.
Dec 24: The winds are again the story today. It is hard to even stand up outside against the wind. But even worse, the wind and blowing snow have polished the ice smooth from the wet snow and slush we had last week. And worse yet, is the cold temperatures that when conbined with the wind is almost instant frostbite to exposed skin. Our low today was 2 degrees and our high was 10. We watched the wind buffet Lake Superior and move out over its blue green surface supressing the waves near shore. Futher out we could see enormous whitecaps. This is the strongest winds I have ever seen in my 19 years in Grand Marais. Talking to life-long residents they also say they can never remember these kinds of gusts and sustained winds.
Dec 23: High temperature was 11. Low temperature was 4 below. The story of the day was the strongest winds from the NW that I have ever seen in Grand Marais and Croftville. As those winds hit the surface of the lake they completely subdued and wave action near our shore. The winds were so strong they blew a roof off a building in downtown Grand Marais and stripped 10 solar panels off the newly installed array at Bethlehem. Snow was coming down during the day as well but it was impossible to tell the new snow from the drifting snow.
Dec 22: It is still cold with a low of 0 and a high of 10. The snow dumped on us again overnight and through this morning. We must have got another 7 inches of fresh snow. Then the winds started and with the blowing it is impossible to judge snowfall after that. Lake Superior had 2ft greenish gray waves with very limited visibility with the wind and snow.
Dec 21: It is a cold day with a low of 9 below and a high of 5 above. There is light snow falling at sunset with justa dusting on the ground. Lake Superior had the curliques of steam rising off its surface this morning with a dark cloud mass forming over the middle of the lake. A winter storm is supposed to be on the way but roads were pretty good today in Cook County. Lake Superior has 2-3ft blue gray waves from the south.
Dec 20: Our high was 19 at midnight and it has been cooling off ever since. At 10pm we are at 0 degrees by Lake Superior. The snow that began falling in the late afternoon yesterday was done by sunrise but resulted in about 8 inches of fluffy snow. Shoveling was not backbreaking but the volume was immense making for a long day. Lake Superior had 2-3ft bluish green waves from the south with whitecaps. Skies were a light blue with a thin overcast except on the dark navy lake horizon. We had a steady wind from the west but the snow was set enough to not drift.
Dec 19: I think this was the coldest morning of the season with a low of 5 above this morning. At 9pm we are at our high for the day at 18 degrees. This morning there was the dark cloud mass over the lake that usually forms in very cold temperatures. Lake Superior is a light gray and mostly calm but with a textured surface. Snow began falling in the late afternoon wih about an inch accumulation so far.
Dec 18: The weather has changed for the colder. We woke up to 10 degrees along the lake in Croftville. And temps have stayed cold all day only getting into the upper teens. Lake Superior is gray with small waves once again from the SE. The winds make it feel much colder than in the teens.
Dec 17: Our morning low was 27 today. It is 35 now in the afternoon. We had 2" of fresh snow on the walkways this morning. Lake Superior has 6" blue roller waves from the SE on a textured surface. There is a bank of clouds on the lake horizon but elsewhere we have blue skies and the sun relfecting off the lake surface.
Dec 16: We had a low of 31 and a high of 37 today. We spent today driving back from Prior Lake after picking our daughter up from Hamline University last night. It had light snowed all night in Prior Lake and we woke up to 2" of fresh, wet snow and a lightly overcast skies. Heading north past the cities we saw dry pavement and a little blue sky until Cloquet. At that point the snow began and continued all the way to Grand Marais. It was dark so we could not see the lake with the snowfall. I could hear it when we got home. Our son had kept up with the wet snow here keeping it shoveled and our parking and sidewalks clear.
Dec 15: Well the snow finally began in earnest around 4:30am. The low overnight was 32 and it is 35 at noon. The snow ended here along the shore about 10am. We are now left with about 4" of heavy wet snow over about 3" of slush. Not a fun shoveling day but we hope to get it moved before temps turn colder tomorrow. Lake Superior has powerful 4-5ft green waves from the SE.
Dec 14: It is just too warm to get any significant snow along the shore. We have the winds for a blizzard. We have the gales on the lake boasting 5-6ft blue waves with whitecaps. The waves break well before shore and pound the shore and grind the boulders across the bedrock. The skies to the southwest are a deep almost blackened navy in color. However, with a low of 32 and a high of 36 all we got was some rain and about an inch of slush. I haven't heard what it was like inland yet but the blizzard everyone was prdicting yesterday was a bust along the Croftville shoreline.
Dec 13: Our low was 32 this morning and our high was 37. Everyone is preparing for the blizzard warning that has been issued for the North Shore. They are predicting 12-20 inches for a narrow band near the shore for Cook County. We can already see building waves up to 5ft from the SE on Lake Superior.
Dec 12: We had a low of 27 and a high of 33 today. There was a little snow last night and on and off light snow today amounting to less than an accumulated inch. Skies were a white overcast all day. Lake Superior had 1-2ft blue waves with green shadows from the SE.
Dec 11: It only dropped to 31 degrees overnight. We are back at 35 at 1pm. Skies are a light gray overcast except for a light navy blue band at the horizon. Lake Superior is a monotone gray with 1-2ft waves from the SE with a highly textured surface.
Dec 10: It has been lightly snowing since 9am. We have had 2" accumulation today. Our morning low was 30 and our high today was 33. Lake Superior has 2ft waves coming staright into shore from the SSE. There is a horizontal band of copper colored water for the first 100ft from the shore. The rest of the lake is an aqua blue with green shadows and whitecaps.
Dec 9: We have 2ft blue waves with dark olive shadows from the SE this morning with blinding silver refelections from the sun. Skies are mixed evenly with blue and cloud cover. The cumulus clouds have heavy gray bottoms. It is warm with 32 degrees when I got up. It actually warmed up again overnight.
Dec 8: Last evening it plunged to 2 degrees here along the lake. I heard it was 16 below up at Devils Track Lake away from Superior. After that cold plunge, it warmed up the rest of of the night and was 18 degrees at sunrise this morning. Temps continues to slowly rise all day and were in the mid 20's by late afternoon. Lake Superior has 2ft blue waves from the SE today.
Dec 7: It was a bit colder this morning with 7 degrees by the lake. The skies look like snow but none has come down yet. Lake Superior has calmed overnight and is a flat bluish gray against a navy lake horizon. Our guests that arrived yesterday said travel from Duluth to Grand Marais was difficult with the snow coming down heavier than in Grand Marais.
Dec 6: It was a snowy day with light snow falling almost all day long. We ended up with about 3" accumulation when it all finished tonight. Our high was 22 and our low was 17 this morning by the lake. We had 1-2ft gray waves from the SSE today breaking onto our rocks. I saw a couple ore freigters during the night and another one during the day. The light snow made a beautiful and quiet blanket while outside.
Dec 5: Our high was 27 today which was at midnight. Since then we have been on a slow descent. We are at 17 degrees at 8pm. The big lake had 2ft waves from the south today. The lake was mostly gray and we got to see an over 1000ft long freighter pass close by in fron of the resort this afternoon headed toward Duluth.
Dec 4: Brrrh! We began at 6 degrees this morning but slowly warmed up all day. Our high at sunset was 27 degrees and it doesn't appear it will cool off much tonight. We had blue skies in the morning and overcast skies getting heavier and heavier through the afternoon. Lake Superior had 2-3ft waves of different colors through the day. An ore freighter once again passed by all lit up at 3am.
Dec 3: We had a half inch of snow last night. I watched an ore freighter all lit up pass by while I layed in bed around 3am. The speed at which it passed by our window told me it was close and a smaller, older freighter. The stern of the ship was really bright making me think they were our working on the deck and the lightling was not just running lights. This morning we have blue skies with tufts of dark clouds overhead and larger dark clouds over the lake. Lake Superior has steel gray 1ft waves from the SSW with blinding white reflections from the sun. After a high of 39 yesterday, temperatures plunged overnight with a low of 11 here by the lake in Croftville. There is a dark navy band of clouds at the lake horizon.
Dec 2: Lake Superior is a metallic greenish blue today with 3-5ft waves from the SSE coming straight into the shore and breaking against our rocks. The lake horizon has a narrow band of light. We were abble to watch the orange sunrise just briefly before the sun rose behing the heavily clouded skies. Our morning low must have been at midnight at 31 degrees. Temps continue to rise with 36 degrees now at 10am.
Dec 1: We had a low of 15 this morning with temperatures going up slowly all day long and into the evening. Right now our high is 28 dgrees after sunset. Lake Superior was turbulent today with 3-5ft gray waves pounding the shore and strong gusts of wind occasionally. Skies overhead are overcast but not as humid as yesterday so the afternoon temps in the 20's felt comfortable outside.
November 2022
Nov 30: The snow began coming down yesterday in the lat morning and continued until well after dark. We have 4 to 5 inches of accumulation we are shoveling out from this morning. Our low was 22 after a high of 35 yesterday morning just before the snow began falling and the temperature slowly dropping. The sky today is cloudy. The sun is trying to break through but the clouds refuse to let go. It feels like it could snow even though no snow is predicted for today. Lake Superior look like liquid mercury with a gray metallic sheen and green shadows. We have 3-4ft waves pounding the rocks from the south.
Nov 29: After a high of 39 yesterday we dropped to 32 overnight. Gray 2ft waves with green shadows are breaking into the shore from the SSE. There is a dark narrow gray horizontal band on the lake at the horizon. Skies are a light gray overcast and no signs of the sun for today.
Nov 28: Skies are cloudy and dark this morning. There are small breaks in the cloudbanks over the lake trying to let some sunlight through but so far without any success. The lake horizon line is white and crisp which probably means good weather on the south shore. Here on the North Shore Lake Superior is a dark greenish gray with 2-3ft waves from the SSE and a few whitecaps. Our low this morning was 31 and at 10am we are at 35 with a brisk wind.
Nov 27: Our temps ranged from 28 to 46 today. Lake Superior continues with strong waves from the south. The sky was particularly dark most of the afternoon with scary looking cloudbanks out over the lake.
Nov 26: The waves are back on Lake Superior. We have 3ft waves from the south breaking onto the shore. The waves are a silver blue with green shadows and whitecaps. Our skies are a hazy blue this morning. Our low wasn't much of a low with temperatures staying in the upper 30's overnight and have already touched 40 this morning.
Nov 25: It was 28 overnight and climbed to 39 this afternoon. Lake Superior was mostly calm and gray and skies were lightly overcast all day. However, the stars cam out after sunset making a beautiful night sky. Croftville Road was treacherous all day with the moisture on the road freezing anytime the pavement was not in the direct sun.
Nov 24: A happy and warm Thanksgiving Day to you. We had a low of 27 and a high of 40 today. Lake Superior was gray and mostly calm. Skies were a light gray overcast and we had a rain mist for awhile this morning. Sunrise again had that pinkish purple and orange haze along the horizon. Overnight we had the stars come out to enjoy in the night sky.
Nov 23: Our temperature range today was from 23 to 38. Lake Superior was mostly calm with just small waves. The afternoon sky had a pinkish purple haze to it. It almost looked like it might be snowing out over the lake.
Nov 22: It was 23 this morning and we are slowling warming up and are at 26 at 10am. Skies are overcast and unless that changes I expect the temperatures to remain pretty steady. We had a light dusting of snow during the night. Lake Superior has 2-3ft gray waves from the south with blue green shadows. I can see heavy clouds over the southern shore on the lake horizon.
Nov 21: We had a low of 20 and a high of 33 today. Lake Superior has gray 2-3ft waves from the SSE today. Skies are lightly overcast. We traveled to Duluth today for medical appointments and shopping. We saw several loaded ore freighters traveling along low in the water and we saw in contrast one saltie. They sit so much higher in the water even when fully loaded. The winds from the west were fierce on our way down but had subsided on our trip back.
Nov 20: I looked out on the big lake this morning and saw the curlicues of steam rising off the lake. I knew it had to be cold for that to happen. We typically see these rising off the lake surface when we are getting near or below zero. Sure enough it was just 4 degrees this morning, our coldest night of the season. Temperatures started rising and the little steam twisters disappeared before we got to 10 degrees. Our high today was 28 and Lake Superior was mostly calm and gray.
Nov 19: There were several freighters passing by during the night all lit up and avoiding the lake effect snow storms along the south shore. We had 14 degrees this morning after a high of 26 down here by the lake yesterday. We have 2ft blue roller waves from the south this morning with plenty of blue sky overhead. There is still ominous looking clouds over the south shore of Lake Superior but they are not as black as yesterday.
Nov 18: Our low was 18 this morning. We have sun shining and reflecting off a dark gray lake against a bluish black lake horizon. There are 1ft waves from the SSW. The snow has finally ended although I can see what looks like snowy skies in the west and those dark skies in the UP and northern Wisconsin suggests they are now getting the lake effect snow that has made shoveling miserable for us over the past days.
Nov 17: They were telling us it was supposed to be much colder today but they got that wrong. Overnight it only dropped to 29 here along the lake and we had a high of 34 today. There is still some snow cooming down but for the most part we are just shoveling away the additional 5 inches of snow that fell yesterday and overnight while we shoveled snow all day. Frantically shoveling snow becuase of the prospect of it freezing hard was a needless worry.
Nov 16: We had about 6 to 9 inches of snow of heavy wet snow to shovel today. We had hoped to wait to do the bulk of the shoveling until after the snow quit but there were no signs of this lake effect snow quitting today. We had to shovel as it continued to come down and Lake Superior was raging. For some reason the wind directions have not changed as quickly as predicted and the winds from the east continue to produce plenty of lake effect snow. Lake Superior has 4-5ft waves poinding the shore and tossing the boulders about as they graind on the ledgerock. They are predicting much colder temperatures tomorrow which will mean the snow will freeze hard and be all but impossible to remove so we need to shovel this wet snow today.
Nov 15: The strong winds from the east are hurling snow down at us. Visibility on Lake Superior is quite limited ranging from 50 yards to several hundred yards depending on how heavy the snow is falling. Joey is just shoveling what we need to allow guests access to our rentals and to Croftville Road. Lake Superior has 4-5ft waves and our temperatures are hovevering from the upper 20's to our high of 35.
Nov 14: It started snowing today about 6am. Our low this morning was 29. Right now we are at 30 at midday. The snow comes in waves. I would say we have 2 to 3 inches on the ground at noon. Lake Superior has 2-3ft grayish brown waves from the SE. Visibility when it is snowing is limited to about 100-200 yards. We saw what we believe was a group of swans swimming in Lake Superior this morning. It is hard to believe they were having a good time.
Nov 13: Brrh. It was 24 this morning along the lake after a high of 35 yesterday. Today we did not even get to freezing for our high. We enjoyed some freighters passing by close enough to see the waves breaking in front of them and their wake behind them. We really enjoy watching this but it is even more fun watching our guests reactions to these huge freighters.
Nov 12: Today we traveled up to Devil's Track Lake above Grand Marais and were reminded that winter has already begun in the inland parts of Cook County. The snow cover that disappeared here yesterday has stuck up on Devil's Track and the wind had been blowing that snow limiting visibility. Ore freighters are now routinely passing by Croftville during the night. They are so fun to see all lit up.
Nov 11: We woke up to 2" of snow on the ground for our first real snowfall by the lake this year. It is all gone this afternoon except on the roofs. Our low was 31 and our high was 35 today. Skies are partly cloudy this afternoon with a little blue. We have 3-5ft silver blue roller waves from the SE with navy shadows. We have seen several ore freighters passing by today.
Nov 10: It rained during the night. It rained this morning. It rained this afternoon. It is still raining tonight. Heavy gray overcasr skies all day. Strong winds all day. We were in the 40's this mornign and have slowly had dropping temps throughout today. We are currently at 34 degrees. Lake Superior has had 3-5ft waves today. We can hear the boulders scraping on the ledgerock as the waves move them about.
Nov 9: It was a heavy gray overcast, foggy day today. The low was 40 and the high 44. Visibility on the lake was only about 100ft this morning. That visibility would change as the fog came in and out and the rain would vary from a mist to a heavy downpour. It rained all night. Today it was so humid that all surfaces were wet from condensation even in covered area protected from the wind and rain. Lake Superior had 2ft gray waves from the SE.
Nov 8: The only light sky this morning is over the lake horizon where we can see partly cloudy skies in northern Wisconsin. Everywhere else we have gray cloudy skies. The wind is strong here in Croftville and the winds have energized the waves. We have 4-5ft steel gray waves, dark olive shadows, and whitecaps from the SE hitting our shore. Overnight we bottomed out at 36 and were at 40 degrees at daybreak along the lake.
Nov 7: Our high was 45 today but our low is tonight as temperatures continue to drop. Our current temperature and low is 36 at 8pm. The lake was almost scary at times today as 3-5ft metallic gray waves pounded the North Shore. The moon is getting near to full as it rose large and orange over Lake Superior here in Croftville.
Nov 6: We had a low of 39 this morning and it is now 42. I don't expect that temperature to change much with the gray overcast skies and light rain that continued through the night and now today. I saw a large freighter go by last night but its lights were diffused by the rain and mist. Lake Superior has 3ft gray waves with green shadows from the south pounding the rocks. The only break in the overcast is on the horizon in northern Wisconsin and the UP where the horizon is white.
Nov 5: It was a strange day of weather. Our low was 32 and our high was only 36. The day started with clear and lightly ovecast skies over us but the lake horizon was a blackish navy over northern Wisconsin and cloudbanks over Lake Superior. We have 2-3ft smooth blue gray roller waves from the SSE. Rain began about 4pm after they warned us all day that we might get snow.
Nov 4: It was significantly colder today with a morning low of 34 and a high of 44. The sun burned off the overcast for a couple hours this afternoon and it was quite pleasant outside. The wind was fierce overnight and churned up large waves on the lake and brought with it some rain as well. Lake Superior calmed down this afternoon with less than 1ft pale blue smooth waves from the south.
Nov 3: There was much to do today to catch up after the last couple days mostly in Duluth for Teresa's surgery. The beautiful weather continues with a high of 57. We will take it while we can get it and we are staining lawn furniture. We thought that task would need to wait for spring but we will make use of the weather.
Nov 2: I got up early today and made my way down to Duluth to pick Teresa up from the hospital after her surgery yesterday. I saw quite a few animals flirting with their fate along highway 61 on my way home. Many deer and a few foxes, wolves, and coyotes. Whe I got home I had 2 black bears batting around our garbage bins at 10:30pm. I scolded them and chased them away. Once in the forest they grumbled back at me.
Nov 1: It was a warm day today with a high of 59. We left early for Duluth and enjoyed the breaking dawn as we approached the city. We saw many ore freighters on the way. Teresa had surgery today so my mind was occupied not on Lake Superior. With the high temperatures and lack of wind, the lake was mostly calm and a pale blue.
October 2022
Oct 31: We have clear blue skies this morning after enjoying the crescent moon and stars last night by a fire. Lake Superior calmed down in the evening and this morning has a rippled surface and areas of light blue glassy water. There are some light wispy clouds near the lake horizon. Our low this morning was 34.
Oct 30: We had 39 overnight and warmed up to an amazing 53 degrees again this afternoon. Lake Superior began the day with 2-3ft blue waves but the waves subsided through the day with less than 1ft waves from the SSE by the afternoon. Plenty of sun, plenty of warmth for a late October day.
Oct 29: Croftville had 2ft metallic blue waves from the south against a sunny blue sky. Our temperature began the day at 41 and rose to 53 this afternoon. We have a beautiful sunset in the west.
Oct 28: It was a beautiful late fall day. Our temperature range was from 41 to 53. Skies oscillated from light overcast, to clouds, to mostly sunny with blue skies. Lake Superior was a metallic blue with powerful 3ft waves that thundered against the rocks from the SSE.
Oct 27: Our mornng low was 28 with a heavy frost. This afternoon we maxed out at 46. I got to gaze at the stars outside my bedroom windows last night with wispy clouds blocking their images once in a while. There was a baot with a blinking light off shore, probably an early morning fishing boat but I am nopt sure. We had 2ft blue and gray waves today from the south.
Oct 26: After a morning low of 39 we climber to 47 this afternoon. It was a cool but beautiful late fall day in Croftville. We had mostly blue skies, occasional cloud cover, a blue lake and 1-2ft waves. The large majority of trees and bushes have dropped their foliage. The underbrush and long grasses are now dried.
Oct 25: Our low this morning was 42. We had a little rain overnight. Skies were a dark overcast most of the day with signs of brightening in the south that never really made it to us. The temperatures never made it to 50 today. Lake Superior has 3ft bluish gray waves from the SE.
Oct 24: Wow! Wow! Wow! That is what my Grandpa would have said to the 2 thunderstorms we had during the night complete with heavy rain, loud thunder, and lightshows. It was unbelievably warm last night with a low of 57. That is a warm overnight low even in the summertime here along the lake and it is now late October. It was still dark this morning but skies are beginning to lighten up now at 2pm. Gitche Gumi has 3ft grayish blue waves with olive shadows from the SE. Although skies to the south almost look like they might break out into sun the skies to the west are again dark and ominous. Our high so far this afternoon is 62. The heavy rain has now stripped the majority of our fall leaves.
Oct 23: Happy Birthday to Carl Joseph Juvland. My Grandpa would have been 118 today. It was another warm day with a low of 47 and a high of 64. Clouds moved in in the afternoon and some of them looked dark and rainy. Lake Superior has 2-3ft light blue waves from the SE against a white horizon. The darker clouds are approaching from the west. Leaves continued to really drop today even with only a gentle breeze.
Oct 22: It was overcast in the morning and made way for mostly cloudy skies in the afternoon with patches of blue sky. Our low was a warm 46 overnight and our high pushed us to 56 this afternoon. Lake Superior has 3ft waves with whitecaps from the SE. Lake color kept changing with the sky. Our aspens really dropped many of their golden leaves today in the breeze.
Oct 21: The waves were back overnight. We had 3ft blue waves from the SE this morning. They serenaded me while I slept during the night. Our low was 41 this morning and our high was a remarkable 63 degrees with sun and blue skies. Is this really the latter part of October?
Oct 20: It was a beautiful October fall day. Blue skies, a light breeze, and a blue Lake Superior. Our low was 33 and our high by the lake got to 50 degrees. Lake Superior had 1-2ft waves from the SSE.
Oct 19: The wind subsided over night. To have still air after the windstorms of the last 3 days is relaxing. Overnight we had 28 with heavy frost on the roofs and patio furniture after a high of 42 yesterday. There are a few clouds on the lake horizon but everywhere else the sky is a pale clear blue. Lake Superior has 1ft roller waves from the SSE. The surface is blue and highly textured. There is a darker navy band of water near the horizon. Last night I saw lights of freighters out on the lake every time I woke up.
Oct 18: The wind is still relentless since it began 2 days ago. We have seen many ore freighters passing by since they are now taking the more northerly route because of weather just like this. Our low was 28 after a high of 38 yesterday. We have clear skies overhead with a bank of clouds over the lake horizon. Lake Superior is a deep blue. The waves are subdued by this brutal north wind near the shore but you can tell there are huge waves further out on the lake. We continue to watch the wind gusts spread out over the lake surface. The wind is stripping many of the leaves off our trees. The boreal forest will have the feel of late fall when the wind finally subsides.
Oct 17: We had snow overnight. We ended up with about an inch accumulation on grass, steps, and roofs. Our overnight low was 30. The north wind is powerful this morning. It is pounding the lake surface and you can watch the gusts move out over the silver gray lake. You can hear it whistle through our double hung windows. The lake has 2ft roller waves from the SSE. The skies are cloudy and it looks like there may be a few spots that the sun might peek through.
Oct 16: Around 3pm today we began to get very strong winds from the NW. They are hitting the lake and spreading out over the surface subduing the waves near the shore.
Oct 15: I spent the day up on Seagull Lake at Wilderness Canoe Base. It was a spectacular sunrise and we had a dusting of snow on the ground that disappeared quickly after sunrise. There was a drizzle that continued through most of the day but it wasn't enough a problem to keep us from talking a paddle in the Montreal Canoe, hiking about the islands, and enjoying a late afternoon sauna with a jump into the lake.
Oct 14: It was cold this morning with rain. And what inevitably happens at some time is the fall is that results in snow. That happened briefly for the first time this morning. We had 32 degrees, overcast gray skies, and about a half inch of snowy slush that is as quickly melting as it was quick to come down. We are now at 35 degrees. Lake Superior has 1-3ft light bluish gray waves from the south with olive green shadows. There is a narrow navy horizontal band of water at the horizon.
Oct 13: Our high yesterday was 57 but we are unlikley to get out of the 40's today. Skies are overcast and look like possible rain but the predictors are saying no rain until late tonight. Lake Superior has 1-2ft bluish gray waves from the south. Leaves are now beginning to fall from the trees at a noticable rate. Peak color is now ending, but as I remind guests, just because we are past peak color, does not mean that the colors are gone.
Oct 12: It is a gray overcast day today. Clouds moved in at dusk and we had some bouts of rain overnight. That rain is expected to continue at times through today. Our morning low was 48. We have a fuzzy horizon, still air, and 1-2ft gray waves with aqua shadows from the south. We can now begin to notice a leaf cover on the ground from falling leaves.
Oct 11: Last night the full moon lit up the lake and our grounds like it was daytime. It is another beautiful fall day in Croftville and up and down the North Shore. The golds are spectacular in the sun and most leaves are still hanging on to their branches in spite of the brisk breeze. After a low of 39 we warmed all the way up to 62 in Grand Marais but it was in the upper 70's in Duluth this afternoon. Lake Superior was a deep blue with 2-3ft waves from the SSE. With weather expected to change over the next few days, today may have been our last day of peak color here in Croftville.
Oct 10: It was a gorgeous fall day once the morning haze lifted. Skies were clear during the evening and with a full moon coming tonight, the moonscape was really lit up. Our high was 56. Lake Superior was a dark blue against a light sky blue sky. Although winds have removed some of the fall foliage, most of the leaves are still holding on tight near the shore. The bears visited our grounds again last night hoping to find a garbage can meal now that berries are scarce. Disappointed that our cans were bolted shut they meandered over by our guests in the cottages and scurried up the tree outside Cottage #1. They are harmless but a nuissance.
Oct 9: Our low this morning was 37 and our high 56. There was some light frost on the rooves when we got up. Colors are amazing and the sunlit golds against the stark blue lake is stunning. Lake Superior has 2-3ft waves from the south.
Oct 8: Our low was 39 degrees this morning which is actually warmer than the temperatures in southern Minnesota this morning. We have strong winds from the north but our colored leaves are still clinging to the trees. Lake Superior has 3-4ft steel gray waves from the south. Skies have a very light gray haze this morning with the blue trying to peek through.
Oct 7: We were in the upper 30's last night and our high along the lake today is only 48. Colors along the lake in Croftville are now at peak. There is a narrow navy band of sky across the lake at the horizon. The remaining sky is a deep sky blue with a few small cottonball cumulus clouds in the sky. Lake Superior has 2ft blue waves with navy shadows from the SSW. Occasional we have powerful gusts of wind.
Oct 6: We had big puffy cumulus clouds, strong gusty winds, and a deep blue sky along Croftville Road today. Teresa saw several ore freighters pass by today. Lake Superior was this amazing steel gray color you only see in the fall with huge 3-4ft roller waves from the SE crashing into the rocks. The sun created blinding reflections off what looked like a liquid metal surface. Our low was 55 this morning and our high 65 early in the afternoon before temps began dropping.
Oct 5: It is warm for October with an overnight low of 55 and we have 60 degrees at 1pm. Lake Superior is silver with 2ft waves from the south with blinding reflections where the sun is trying to break through the white overcast. Colors are now approaching peak. They are beautiful but not as vibrant as the remarkable foliage from last fall.
Oct 4: We have white overcast skies today and an almost constant drizzle. The colors are amazing down here on the Croftville Road. I can only imagine what they would be like if the sun came out. Lake Superior is light gray and smooth with only ripples from the south. The white horizon and very light gray lake almost make a seamless transition. Our low was 55 and our high was only 59. I hear that colder temps are on the way.
Oct 3: We drove back to Grand Marais today and in spite of the fun we had in southern Minnesota it was so good to see Lake Superior as we came over Thompson Hill and saw that big blue lake and Duluth. Our high was 61 after a morning temperature of 46.
Oct 2: We had near perfect conditions for the Twin Cities Marathon which I still believe may be one of the most beautiful urban marathon routes in the world. Fall colors were vibrant, temperatures were in the high 50's overnight and were near 70 degrees at the finish of the race. Skies were slightly overcast which kept the colors from popping out bu also kept the runners more comfortable by not dealing with the sun. Joey finished a remarkable 2:49:03 and we enjoyed a seafood boil and an Dairy Queen ice cream cake in Cannon City on an absolutely gorgeous fall afternoon day at my brother's home.
Oct 1: We headed south away from Lake Superior today to watch our son run in the Twin Cities Marathon tomorrow. Morning was mostly sunny but as we finished cleaning and headed down the shore there were black clouds and rain ahead of us. We encountered our first rain just after Duluth and we then had rain on and off for the rest of our trip. Temperatures were surprisingly warm. Lake Superior was a dark grayish blue as we headed over Thompson Hill and left our lake behind. Leaves along the North Shore had rapidly shown signs of changing color but I think Duluth to the Twin Cities were a little further along with fall colors than Grand Marais. That might be because of dry conditions south of the North Shore.
September 2022
Sep 30: September ends with a low of 44 and a high of 61. Morning was clear blue skies. Afternoon was mostly cloudy with bands of clouds striping the sky. Lake Superior was a dark blue. The leaves have really began to change in the last couple days. Croftville Road is becoming full of golds, yellows, and oranges with just a little red.
Sep 29: Our low was 40 this morning but we still saw just a little frost in isolated places here at the resort. We have beautiful crisp blue skies this morning after a high of 59 yesterday. We have 2ft deep blue waves from the south with dark olive shadows and sky blue highlights. The horizon sky is white and turns to blue as you ascend off the horizon. Colors in the trees show signs of gold and oranges.
Sep 28: We had a low of 36 this morning along the lake and frost on the roofs. It is our coldest morning of the season yet along the lake. I suspect they had a killing frost last night up on the trail. Skies are clear blue. Lake Superior has a highly textured blue surface with navy shadows and silver highlights. There is a thin bank of clouds at the lake horizon.
Sep 27: Our low was 39 and our high 58 today. It was a beautiful crisp fall day here along Lake Superior. We saw 2 ore freighters pass by during the night. It looks now like most of the freighters are taking the more northernly route as weather conditions on the lake become less favorable for a southern trek. We had strong winds today blowing onto the lake that subdued the waves near the shore. Lake Superior was that amazing steel blue color it only takes on in the fall. We could watch the gusts of wind spread out over the lake surface.
Sep 26: Our low was 42 this morning after a high of 63 yesterday afternoon. It is so nice to wake up to Lake Superior through my window from our bed. Lake Superior is a steel gray today with a rippled surface but little to no waves. I think the strong winds onto the lake are subduing those waves as they whistle through our double hung windows. The lake horizon is a navy blue but elsewhere the skies are blue with big white cumulus clouds populating that blue.
Sep 25: We were greeted with rainbows and rain up the north shore as we came home from Wisconsin last night. By the time we finally got to Grand Marais that cold rain became steady and heavy.
Sep 24: We are away from Lake Superior today in Holcombe, Wisconsin for my niece's wedding. It is a misty day with heavy overcast skies but the setting is at a home with a soy bean field in the foreground and looking out to a wooded area about a quarter mile away. They have a huge tent with heaters that keep us warm and plastic windows that let light in and allow us to see the golden dried up bean stocks. It is always so fun to see the large deciduous trees that we do not have in Grand Marais.
Sep 23: We are leaving the big lake for a few days for a family wedding in Wisconsin. This morning in Croftville we have 39 degrees to greet the arrival of fall. There are 1ft roller waves from the SE with a textured surface. The lake is blue with silver highlights and navy shadows. Over the lake we have some clouds but we have clear blue skies everywhere else. The air is still. Each day there are more golds coming through in the green tree canopy.
Sep 22: It is the official start of fall today but it has been fall here in Grand Marais for the last 3 weeks at least. Colors are not yet as vibrant as I would expect. Not very much red this year. Golds are starting to be quite noticeable but the green leaves on the trees are stubborn to let go of that green. It was a brisk 43 this morning. Skies are a clear blue. We have gentle breezes this morning. We have 1ft blue gray roller waves from the SE and blinding reflections of the sun off the surface. There are a couple banks of clouds over Lake Superior. Guests reported they saw a couple freighters pass by last night.
Sep 21: We had a low of 57 this morning after strong winds during the night from the west. Across Superior we could see lighting in the UP and northern Wisconsin. Our high is only 62 but it has been a beautiful day in Croftville with puffy cumulus clouds and blue skies. The big lake is blue with 2-3ft roller waves from the south. It is a great fall day to spend outside.
Sep 20: We had an amazingly heavy dew covering everything the morning. The morning low was 56 and our high 69. Skies were clear. It was quite humid last night which helps explain the heavy dew. Lake Superior has 1-2ft silver blue waves with olive shadows from the SSW this beautiful fall afternoon.
Sep 19: After a silent Lake Superior during the night I woke up to the sounds of the waves, a rising sun, and a clear sky this morning. Lake Superior has 1-2ft silver blue waves with olive green shadows from the south. There is a white lake horizon that turns into blue skies higher up. The air is still and chilly. Our morning low was 56.
Sep 18: It was another day of mostly overcast skies. The sun was nevr completely successful at poking through the overcast. Our low was 60 degrees this morning and our high was 68. Lake Superior was a grayish blue with 1-2ft waves from the SE. We are beginning to see golds in some of the trees and some of the bushes are showing a little red.
Sep 17: The wind was really blowing in the evening and the rain finally ceased around dark last night. Our high yesterday was 59 degrees at midnight which is now our low so far for today. It is 60 degrees at 10am. Skies are a dark gray and there is heavy fog. Visibility on the lake is only about 100ft. Gitche Gumi is gray with 1ft waves from the SE. The winds and waves have subsided.
Sep 16: It is windy. It is dark overcast. It is rainy. Our low last night was 56 after a high of only 60 yesterday. Lake Superior has a brown horizontal band near the shore and a grayish blue band further out. There are 3-4ft waves from the SE.
Sep 15: We woke up with the smell of smoke in the air from the western wildfires for the first time this year. The morning horizon was a yellowish brown also as a result from the fires. The wind was strong from the south during the night whipping our hummingbird feeders and wind chimes franticly. Lake Superior had 3-4ft waves from the SSE enhanced by the wind. The waves have subsided today just a little but are still 3ft. Rain began around 8:30 this morning and is expected to last through today and tomorrow. Lake Superior is a bluish gray and the skies are now a dark gray overcast. Our morning low was 56 after a high yesterday of 63.
Sep 14: We have partly cloudy skies today with plenty of sun. The skies directly overhead are blue but everywhere else the clear skies are a brownish gray especially to the south. They say this is from the western USA wildfires. We have strong winds today. Lake Superior has 2-3ft steel blue waves from the SE wilth silver highlights.
Sep 13: Our morning temp was 53 and we look like we will get into the low 70's today. Lake Superior is smooth and pale blue today with 1-2ft rollers from the south. We have a white horizon line and blue skies with a little white haze in places. The air is still. Sep 12: Our low today was 53 and our high 69 today in Croftville. We traveled to Duluth today and could see more visible signs of fall as we traveled. We are not seeing many reds but we can begin to see hints of gold and we can see many changes in the underbrush as grasses dry out, ropse hips are clearly visible, and goldenrod, fireweed, and the light purple astors are prominent. There were many freighters on the lake while approaching Duluth.
Sep 11: Our low was 50 this morning and our high so far is 69 at 4pm. We have had a sunny day with blue skies and a dark blue lake with just ripples from the SE.
Sep 10: We woke to a silent Lake Superior this morning and a busy day of check-outs and check-ins. The big lake was blue with a white horizon line and a couple narrow bands of navy.
Sep 9: We did not get to see the moon last night with the overcast skies. The rain began in the early morning hours and looks like rain will continue on and off through the day. The skies are dark this morning. Lake Superior is a darker grayish blue with 1ft waves from the SE but we had 3ft waves during the night pounding the shore. Our low this morning is a very warm 62 degrees.
Sep 8: With a nearly full moon over it docile surface, Lake Superior fell silent last night as we enjoyed the moonlight and the fire outside on our porch. Our low was 55 this morning and we warmed up to 78 with the sun and clear blue skies earlier in the day. Skies began to overcast in the afternoon and our temperatures began to recede.
Sep 7: Lake Superior is still today with a blue surface and ripples from the SSE. There is a gentle breeze but I can not tell a distinct direction. There is a navy band of water close to the white lake horizon line. Skies overhead are blue. The morning low was 58 and we are currently at 68 at noon.
Sep 6: It was 50 this morning and the sun burned off the overcast and warmed things up quickly. Our high was 67 sometime in the late morning. After that, overcast skies took over and the temperature has begun to drop. At 2pm our temperature has now fallen to 63 degrees. Lake Superior has 1-2ft gray roller waves from the SSE. There appears to be a thin layer of fog stretching out over the lake surface. Skies are a white overcast.
Sep 5: The weather suddenly feels like fall here. Our low was 46 and we are at 56 at noon. There are 2ft blue waves from the SE with metallic black shadows and white highlights. The lake horizon is fuzzy and there is an indistinct bank of clouds above it. The rest of the sky is clear blue.
Sep 4: We welcomed back the 40's this morning with 47 degrees. Our high today was 65. Skies were hazy but yet sun was able to get through the haze. Lake Superior is a grayish blue. There is a distinct and crisp horizon line. We have 1ft waves from the SE.
Sep 3: We had a surprising high of 83 late in the afternoon yesterday when the overcast skies burned off and the sun came out. At 3pm I had actually closed our windows and put on a sweatshirt because it was cold outside. Only a few hours later we had our warmest day of the summer along the lake. Last night we were treated to an amazing light show from across the lake in the UP. There was a line of very tall clouds well into the UP that had lightning shooting out of their tops. It lasted from dusk until about 4am and was quite unusual. Superior also put on quite a show in the late afternoon with 3-4ft waves thundering into the shore from the SSE. Today, Lake Superior has 1ft blue waves from the SE with navy shadows. There is still a cloudbank over in the UP but the rest of our skies are blue and sunny. Our low this morning was a chilly 50 degrees and we are at 54 degrees at 11am.
Sep 2: It is a light gray overcast this morning witha low of 61 after a high of 75 yesterday. The wind is brisk in the treetops. Visibility on the lake is only about 50 yards. We have 1-2ft silver roller waves from the SSE on the little bit of lake surface we can see. Although there is little evidence yet of fall in the trees, you can see that some of the underbrush is drying up and starting to change color.
Sep 1: Our low this morning was a warm 59. Lake Superior was silent last night which made it hard to sleep when you are used to the lake noise background. This morning we had just blue ripples on the lake. Those ripples have changed into 1ft blue waves from the SSW. The lake horizon is fuzzy and a pale blue. Overhead, we have blue skies with a few small puffs of cumulus clouds.
August 2022
Aug 31: We have another warm sunny day. Our morning low was 55 and our afternoon high was 80. We have a strong wind from the west. Lake Superior is a deep blue with 1ft waves from the unusual direction of the SW. Skies are blue and clear.
Aug 30: It is a warm day today with lots of sun and lots of wind. The wind off the lake kept things copmfortable in the sun. Our low this morning was 63 and our high was 79. Lake Superior has deep blue 2ft waves from the SSW with green shadows and an occasional whitecap. Skies are clear except for a few clouds over the lake.
Aug 29: Plenty of rain during the night along with a spectacular thunder and lightning storm that lasted most of the night. When it finally passed we enjoyed the wind with cooler and noticably less humid air. Our low this morning was 62 after a high of 71 yesterday. That 62 was really quite comfortable with the drier air. We have blue skies today with a few thin clouds out over the lake. Lake Superior has steel blue 2-3ft waves from the south with white reflections and green shadows. I see that the thimleberries are now fully ripe on Croftville Road.
Aug 28: We have overcast skies overhead and cloudy skies over Gitche Gumi. We have had some rain today but it is so humid it feels like it is raining even when it is not. Lake Superior has 2ft gray waves with a purple tint from the SSE with dark green shadows. Our low was a season warm 64 degrees. Right now at 3pm our temperature is 68.
Aug 27: It was a just spectacular evening last night. We sat on our covered porch enjoying the lake, the waves, a fire, and the still air that allowed Teresa to light all her candles. Our high yesterday was 75 and our low this morning was 59. Right now we are at 69 at 3pm. Skies are a white overcast. Lake Superior is blus with 2-3ft waves coming in straight from the SSE with dark green shadows. The lake horizon is crisp and white.
Aug 26: After a low of 55 this morning we are at 62 in mid-morning. We have clear skies this morning. Skies are white at the crisp lake horizon and blue with a purplish tint overhead. Lake Superior is blue with 2ft waves from the south with silver highlights and navy shadows. There is a nice lake breeze.
Aug 25: Lake Superior was loud today with 2ft or better waves from the SE pounding against the shore. The waves were gray with dark olive shadows. Skies were mostly overcast with the sun peeking through every once in a while. Our low was 55 and our high 72. The air was humid but there was a strong wind which kept us comfortable.
Aug 24: It looks like we got some rain overnight but I don't remember hearing it come down. This morning we have a dark gray overcast over us with a morning low of 62. Over the lake we have cloudy skies with lighter skies on the lake horizon. The big lake has 2ft silver gray waves from the SE with dark green shadows. The raspberries, service berries, gooseberries, and thimbleberries are all ready for picking.
Aug 23: As the sun set last night the lake calmed and was quiet. As the sun came up and began adding energy to the lake, the waves began to stir and you could hear Lake Superior talking to you. Our low this mornign was 61 degrees which may be the warmest overnight low this season. Our high was only 72. Skies were overcast all day.
Aug 22: We have returned to Gitche Gumi today. The low this morning was 58 and the high was 74 here in Croftville. At dusk, the lake has 1-2ft waves from the SSW. The waves are a grayish blue with navy shadows. The air is still and the temp has now dropped to 70 degrees. Skies are mostly cloudy with streaks of blue between cloudbanks.
Aug 21: There were rainstorms on and off yesterday bit the afternoon and evening were gorgeous as my wife visited with her old high school class mates. Today we say goodbye to our daughter and leave her in the hands of Hamline. She won't be back to the North Shore until Thanksgiving but we are planning a couple trips to the twin cities in September and October. The air is still this morning, humid, and overcast. The temperatures are cool. There are many different bird calls than we hear along Lake Superior.
Aug 20: It the was so funny to wake up without the big lake talking to me. Sometimes the absence of something makes a bigger impact on you than its accustomed presence. But, being in southern Minnesota with it broad limbed deciduous trees was wonderful and nostalgic. I miss the silver maples, the oaks, the ash, and basswoods. Our daughter is looking forward to college where it is possible to actually climb a tree.
Aug 19: We are traveling to southern Minnesota today as we take our daughter to move into the dorms at Hamline of Sunday. The air is still this morning with plenty of humidity. Our low was a relatively warm 61 degrees but it was still comfortable sleeping weather without covers. Lake Superior has 1-2ft monotone gray waves breaking into the shore from the SE. The horizon is a visible but fuzzy white band across the lake. Everywhere else the sky is a dark gray overcast and looks like rain could break out at any time.
Aug 18: Our low was a warm 61 but it was still comfortable sleeping. There was more rain overnight. Skies were again cloudy or overcast but we managed a little sun in the later afternoon. There were supposed to be a good chance to the Northern Lights during the night but our cloud cover eliminated that possibility. Our high today was 74. Lake Superior was gray with 2ft waves from the SE with green shadows.
Aug 17: It is an overcast cool but humid day here along the North Shore. We had a morning rain and a low of 60 after a high yesterday of 69. Lake Superior is gray with small waves from the SSE. The air is still.
Aug 16: It is a beautiful partly cloudy, partly hazy day here in Croftville. burned off. There is a pleasant breeze that is ruffling the leaves of the quaking aspens. Lake Superior has 2ft waves from the SE on its light blue surface with navy shadows.
Aug 15: It is another gray overcast morning. Our temp this morning is 58. Lake Superior is also gray with 1ft waves from the SE. There is a break in the overcast near the lake horizon especially in the directions of the UP.
Aug 14: It is a gray overcast day. No precipitation but we can feel humidity in the air. Our temperautre range was from 57 to 67 today. Lake Superior is a monotone gray with 1ft waves from the south. There is a breeze bit it swirls so much it is hard to tell what direction it is from. I saw the thimbleberries are beginning to ripen along Croftville Road.
Aug 13: It was a surprisingly warm 60 degrees last night. We had steady rain during the night that was heavy at times. This morning we have gray uniform overcast skies and a brisk breeze in the tree tops. Lake Superior has awaken with 2-3ft silver waves with dark olive green shadows from the SE. The lake horizon is fuzzy but visible.
Aug 12: With a low in the low 50's and a high of 64 today it was cold outside for a day in mid-August. Lake Superior was a pale blue glass this morning and only has small ripples this afternoon. The air is still and hazy with some clouds. Aug 11: We got to see an almost full moon rise over the lake during the night but by morning we had light gray overcast skies and clouds. Lake Superior was calm all day with a silver gray surface. It was a surprisingly warm day here next to the lake with temperatures in the mid to upper 70's.
Aug 10: We got up early and broke camp out of Bayley Bay of Basswood Lake. Weather conditions seemed identical to yesterday when strong winds from the SW both hampered us in the late morning but flew us along in the afternoon. The difference is that once those winds pick up today they will be squarely in our face. We decided the best way to avoid this is to be out of the water before the winds ever have a chance to pick up later in the morning. We jumped the Prairie Portage, Sucker Lake, Newfound Lake, and Moose Lake before the winds could get any stronger than a breeze and had our gear out of the water at the Moose Lake access before the winds became a problem. Later that afternoon we caught our first sight of Lake Superior in 7 days. The big lake was a sight for our homeward bound eyes as we came down to Little Marais from Finland.
Aug 9: Today started with a series of portages and I felt good after a good night's sleep. We did the Wheelbarrow Portage, a short 30 rod portage, and then the 1 mile Horse Portage past Basswood Falls. We took a little time to help and encourage a middle school boy who was unprepared for that long portage and then enjoyed Basswood Falls. The portages were followed by a lengthy day of paddling through the big water of Basswood Lake. It was a windy day. Sometimes the wind aided our journey but for about 4-5 miles we were going directly into the wind. About 1 mile of that was brutal and I had to turn around to retrieve my 31 year old lether hat that the wind picked off my head. The last part of our journey we had the wind at our backs and we made good time all the way to Bayley Bay and our last campsite. The sun had really baked us that day and the wind had wore us out. We sat under the cool shade of 2 white cedars relaxing and regaining our strength.
Aug 8: Today we paddled hard through Crooked Lake to Basswood Falls. It was a hot day and we could fell the sun burning on our exposed skin. I wasn't feeling good and did not get my normal boost of energy after our trail lunch at Table Rock. We explored the pictographs on Basswood River and had hoped to camp just before Lower Basswood Falls but found a campsite just after the portage around the falls.
Aug 7: After 3 days on Lac La Croix we broke camp this morning and took the Bottle Portage out of Lac La Croix and into Bottle and then Iron Lake. We enjoyed lunch and a respite exploring Rebecca Falls which has 2 very different channels with an island inbetween. The one channel was a wider cascading series of waterfalls, the other channel was more like a water chute. We then portaged out of Iron Lake and into Crooked Lake at Curtain Falls. We took another respite at Curtain Falls. Our weary group of paddlers found a campsite on Saturday Bay after slightly misreading our map.
Aug 6: We left camp set up in Lady Boot Bay today as we explored nearby Toe Lake, Warrior Hill, a huge series of pictographs on the east end of Lac La Croix, and a Canadien Ranger Station that was left abandoned in 1997. The Ranger Station had 200-300 year old white pines on a sand beach and was obviously a failed resort before it became a ranger station. It made me sad to think about the broken dreams that had been created at the site over the years.
Aug 5: Today we took the Beatty Portage (again a mechanical portage) into Lac La Croix. We stopped to enjoy some pictographs on the west end of the lake that were quite striking but had little documentation in the guide books. Then we paddled and paddled and paddled. Even after the rain that made us flee under a small cedar grove on an even smaller island, we paddled. We made camp in Lady Boot Bay amidst an old growth forest of birch, white pine, red pine, cedars, and jack pines. We set up a tarp to keep us dry but the mosquitoes discovered that the tarp could keep them dry as well and provided them with a feast.
Aug 4: We left Ely in the dark early this morning, headed up the Echo Trail, and eventually made our way to Crane Lake just after sunrise. We headed north out of Crane into Sand Point Lake which touches Canada, Voyageurs National Park, and the BWCA. We passed through the Little Vermilion Lake, the Loon River, the Loon Portage with a mechanical portage for motor boats, and into Loon Lake. It was interesting to see tree species like silver maples, white oaks, green ash, and box elders along the river and portage that I wouldn't expect to see here. I guess those are signs that this area was once not purely a wilderness area. We camped on Loon Lake. Aug 3: We are heading today for Ely and a week long canoe trip following the border route from Crane Lake through the Prairie Portage at the end of Basswood Lake. Today was a whirlwind of cleaning rentals, finishing up reservations, loading canoes, and packing gear. Everything was such a blur that I barely noticed the big blue Lake Superior against the big blue sky until we headed out of Grand Marais at 6pm (3 hours later than when we had planned).
Aug 2: The big lake is calm this morning with a light blue textured surface and only ripples from the SSE. The air is still. The sky is clear but a little hazy perhaps with some humidity in the air. After a high of 79 yestrday we woke up to 55 this morning. The lake horizon is a fuzzy white with a small navy line just below on the water.
Aug 1: Our low this morning was a warm 58 after the amazing thunderstorm and rain during the night. Rain began around 3pm yesterday afternoon and then changed from light rain to heavy rain through the evening. This morning we have cloudy skies. There is a couple small patches of blue in the distance over the lake. Gitche Gumi is mostly calm with small waves from the SSE. You can see the breeze move in from over the water changing the texture of its gray surface.
July 2022
Jul 31: It was a gorgeous morning with sun and a few clouds. Our morning low was a warm 60 degrees but as overcast skies and rain moved in around 3pm, our temperature peaked at 70 degrees for the day down here next to the lake. Lake Superior is silver blue with navy shadows with 2ft waves coming straight into shore from the SSE.
Jul 30: It was a beautiful late July day with white clouds scattered in the blue skies. Lake Superior had 1-2ft blue roller waves from the south against a hazy white lake horizon. Our temperature range was 52 to 72. All that sunshine with its warmth could not push us pass 72 degrees.
Jul 29: Our skies are half cumulus clouds and half blue sky. It feels humid by Grand Marais standards with a low of 55 and we are at 65 at 3pm. We have a hazy white lake horizon, a deep blue lake with green shadows, and 1-2ft waves from the south. It looks like the thimbleberries are just finishing blossoming for the summer.
Jul 28: It was a beautiful day with blue skies and clouds over a deep blue lake. We had a brief shower around 5pm. Our low was 55 and our high 75 for the day.
Jul 27: It was a day of rain and sun. We had small brief rain showers popping up all day long and within minutes after we would have sun. Skies were partly cloudy and blue. Our temperautre range today was from 51 to 71. Lake Superior had 1-2ft roller waves from the SSE.
Jul 26: Our string of stunning days ended today as overcast skies rolled in during the morning and a steady rain and rain clouds moved in for the afternoon. Our low was 51 and our high was 62. Lake Superior has 2ft silver swells from the south before they disappear into the overcast and foggy skies on the lake.
Jul 25: It was an absoulutely stunning summer July day with plenty of sun, blue skies, some cumulus clouds, and a cool strong breeze off the lake. Our low was 53 and our high was in the low 70's today. Lake Superior was a dep blue with 1-2ft waves from the south.
Jul 24: Beautiful blue skies this morning with large white cumulus clouds this morning. We had a low of 52 this morning and we have a gentle swirling breeze. We have a dark blue lake with 1-2ft waves from the south with silver highlights. The fog is completely gone and we have a crisp lake horizon.
Jul 23: It was a cooler day today with overcast skies. The sun tried to come out a few times but the overcast and fog just swallowed it up and didn't let the sunlight through. There was a good steady rain in the late afternoon into the evening. The fog stuck around all day moving in and out along the shore all day. Our low was in the low 60's and our high was in the mid 60's.
Jul 22: What a seesaw summer day today. We began with a low of 57 and we had a high of 80. But this is one of those days on Croftville Road that you needed a sweatshirt tied around you lake if you wanted to take a walk. Half the time it was too warm to wear and the other half of the time even the sweatshirt was not enough to keep you warm. As the breeze kept switching back and forth between the lake and the hill we went from one extreme to another. Lake Superior is a deep blue today with navy shadows and white highlights in its 2ft waves from the south. Skies were mostly blue with a few white cumulus clouds. At 1pm there was an isolated dark cloud that passed through and dumped rain on us for about 10 minutes. Afterwards, blue skies again.
Jul 21: A low once again of 51 last night but our high yesterday spiked all the way to 81 late yesterday afternoon. Today we have mostly cloudy skies with patches of blue between the puffy tall cumulus clouds. There is a gentle lake breeze holding us to just 60 degrees at 2pm. Lake Superior has 2ft light blue waves with olive shadows from the south. There is a bank of clouds at the horizon suggesting cloudy skies in the UP and northern Wisconsin.
Jul 20: We had an amazing light show around 10pm last night and then we had a gentle rain for several hours. Today our low was 51 and the skies are mostly cloudy. The fog on the lake has dissipated and we can see a hazy horizon line. The skies over the lake are partly clear at times allowing a little sunlight through. Lake Superior has silver 1ft waves from the south today.
Jul 19: It was a very humid day today. The skies had a heavy haze from the humdity that veiled the sun and stopped it from ever completely coming out. In spite of the humidty, it was not very hot with a high of only 73 after a low of 51. Lake Superior was only visible for about 100 yards or less since the fog just hung around all day. Lake Superior was mostly calm with only ripples and small waves when you could see them. Most of the day you could only hear the swooshing as the water brushed against the shore.
Jul 18: We had a brief but heavy thunderstorm during the night with a great light show from the lightning. Our low was 55 this morning and it was humid. Our high was a mear 72 next to the lake. We traveled to Duluth today for an appointment and it was 94 next to the lake in the downtown lake area. The whole rest of the state was in the 90's today. Lake Superior had just ripples on it today which disappeared into the fog that never left with all the humidity in the air.
Jul 17: It is almost an exact repeat of yesterday. Our low was 54 and our high 63. Skies are mostly cloudy and hazy but with spell of blue skies. There is a gentle breeze off the lake. Gitche Gami is calm with ripples from the SE on a pale blue surface that disappears into the fog that lingers just off the shore.
Jul 16: We had a low of 54 and a high of 69 here in Croftville beside Lake Superior. The lake was mostly still today with small waves on a pale blue surface that disappeared into a fog that never left off the shore today. We had a gentle breeze and mostly cloudy skies.
Jul 15: After a high of 72 yesterday, we had a morning low of 52 this morning. It is one of those spectacularly beautiful summer days today with hazy blue skies and sun. We have 1ft roller waves from the SE on a blue textured surface. We can see the rocks on the lakebed close to the shore. The lake disappears into a hazy bank of fog about 2oo yards from the shore. There is a cold but gentle breeze coming off the lake. Our current temperature at 3pm is 60 degrees. The Blue Angels have been showing off in Grand Marais today promoting their air show this weekend in Duluth.
Jul 16: We had a low of 54 and a high of 69 here in Croftville beside Lake Superior. The lake was mostly still today with small waves on a pale blue surface that disappeared into a fog that never left off the shore today. We had a gentle breeze and mostly cloudy skies.
Jul 15: After a high of 72 yesterday, we had a morning low of 52 this morning. It is one of those spectacularly beautiful summer days today with hazy blue skies and sun. We have 1ft roller waves from the SE on a blue textured surface. We can see the rocks on the lakebed close to the shore. The lake disappears into a hazy bank of fog about 2oo yards from the shore. There is a cold but gentle breeze coming off the lake. Our current temperature at 3pm is 60 degrees. The Blue Angels have been showing off in Grand Marais today promoting their air show this weekend in Duluth.
Jul 14: The air is still today. We started the day at 51 and are now at 60 degrees at noon. I can feel the coldness of Lake Superior radiating all the way up to our covered porch. Lake Superior is a pale blue with only ripples on its surface. The surface fades into a hazy white horizon line. Skies are mostly blue with a cloud passing by every once in a while.
Jul 13: Our low today was 53 and our high 71 here along Lake Superior. We were returning from a summer orientation at Hamline University today for my daughter. We got to watch the full moon rise above the lake. It was a murky orange and at first it appeared truncated in the sky because there was no horizon line between Lake Superior and the sky. As the moon created some distance between it and the horizon it became yellow and large and we could now clearly see it was full. The moonlight reflected on the lake surface.
Jul 12: It was 53 this morning and topped out at 69 today. We journeyed away from Lake Superior and down to Saint Paul. I forgot how beautiful the deciduous forests of southern Minnesota are. I was particularly struck by the cottonwoods, the silver maples, and the burr oak. However, I was also struck by the heat and how much my life is focused on the boreal forest and Lake Superior.
Jul 11: What a strange day. It was so cold by the lake most of the day and quite warm just a half mile from the lake. It was 49 this morning and it stayed in the 50's almost all day. Then the strong winds that were whipping around the treetops shifted to be off the hill and our temperature jumped all the way to 76 in a half hour. Skies were a mix from overcast to huge cumulus clouds to sun as strong winds came and went. We had 2 small rainfalls but the heavy rain missed us all day in Croftville. Lake Superior has 1-2ft waves whose direction kept changing all day.
Jul 10: Our high today was 76 briefly this afternoon until the rain and winds quickly dropped us 10 degrees. We have had 2 rains today with possibly more on the way. The rain this morning was short and hard. Skies are mixed today with different fronts and winds coming and going. Lake Superior has 1-2ft silver blue waves with navy shadows from the south this afternoon after being silent with only ripples this morning. The fog is about 1 mile out from shore and the water and horizon disappear into it.
Jul 9: Our high today was in the low 70's after a morning low of 52. The big lake was calm and pale ble this morning with just smooth ripples on its surface. We had clear skies most of the day with patches of clouds passing through at times. Later in the day we had silver blue 1ft waves from the SSW.
Jul 8: We had a high of 76 after a morning low of 52. It was a beautiful summer day with a little more warmth than we have been accustomed to so for this season. Lake Superior had some fog in the morning but most of it burned off leaving blue waves and sunny skies.
Jul 7: Once again we had a late afternoon temperature spike of 68 yesterday. Most of the day we were in the 50's. Our low this morning was 46 and we are at 58 at 2pm. Skies are partly cloudy today with big, tall, heavy, gray bottomed culmulus clouds separated by blue and sun. The lake is a grayish blue with 1ft textured waves from the south accompanied by a cold breeze. I am noticing how the foliage in the forest has darkened and filled in. It no longer looks like spring with its dense dark green leaves.
Jul 6: We have mostly blue skies this morning with just a few high stratus clouds. Our low was a warm 52 degrees. We have strong breezes moving the treetops this morning. We have 1-2ft silver blue waves from the SE with a textured surface. The shadows are navy and dark olive. A fog bank sits about 200 yards off the shore obscuring the lake and the horizon.
Jul 5: It was a foggy day. We saw very litle of the lake with the fog moving in and out. Lake Superior was a pale blue gray with small waves from the SE. The overcast skies never burned off and so there was no significant sun. Our low was 46 and our high was only 56 here by the lake in Croftville.
Jul 4: It was a raining, drizzling, gray overcast, misting day today by Lake Superior. We have 2ft pale blue waves with green shadows on a textured surface from the SE. Our low this morning was 50 degrees and our high was 54.
Jul 3: The lake calmed during the night. It was silent and by morning all we had were blue ripples from the south on a blue surface that gradually disappeared into the fog out on the lake. Overhead we have high cirrus clouds with just enough spacing to allow patches of blue and sunlight through. Without the sound of the lake we can really hear the birds. Our low this morning is a pleasant 48.
Jul 2: Our morning low was 51 and it looks like our high is only going to be 61. Lake Superior is a beautiful color of blue with silver highlights. There are 1-2ft waves from the SSW again. We have a sky blue horizon line. There are partly cloudy blue skies with an assortment of heavy gray bottomed cumulus clouds and lighter higher clouds. The breeze is cold and I needed to keep the windows closed to stay warm inside.
Jul 1: Our low was 51 this morning and temps were slow to warm up until late afternoon when temperatures spiked into the upper 70's. Skies are half blue skies and half heavy hanging gray bottomed cumulus clouds. Lake Superior has 2ft blue green waves with dark olive shadows from the SSW. The winds are becoming strong with whitecaps beginning to pop up on the lake.
June 2022
Jun 30: We end June with one of the warmer days so far this summer with plenty of sun. Lake Superior had 2ft blue waves from the SE. We had blue skies with heavy cumulus clouds dotting the sky. We started the day at 51 but temps skirted 80 degrees even down here along the shore with a high of 79.
Jun 29: We had a low of 47 and a high of 59 today down by Lake Superior in Croftville. Although waves were bigger this morning, this afternoon we have small waves from the SE on a dark gray lake against a crisp white horizon. Overhead we have light gray overcast skies with light rain on and off this afternoon.
Jun 28: Our morning low was 46 and we were treated to a short but heavy rainstorm in the morning whose clouds and dark skies kept things cold during the morning. However, the sun popped out this afternoon and eventually the skies cleared. Our temperature spiked into the 70's just briefly this afternoon before quickly dropping back into the low 60's at dusk. Lake Superior was different as its look changed constantly with the changing skies.
Jun 27: After a high of 68 yesterday we dropped to 47 this morning and had a high of only 59 this afternoon. The skies were a little of everything today with sun, high thin clouds, cumulus clouds, and dark overcast on the verge of rain. Lake Superior's 2ft waves became subdued later in the day until they were smooth 1ft rollers. The lupines are now in almost full bloom in the road ditches.
Jun 26: Lake Superior has 3ft waves from the south today roaring and buffeting the shore. Further out the waves have a hint of purple but closer in the waves are blue with silver gray highlights and green shadows. Skies are cloudy with a little sun poking through once in a while. There is a dark cloud mass to the west. Our temp this morning was 47 and we are already to 59 at 9am.
Jun 25: Lake Superior had 1ft waves from the SSE today that disappeared into the fog for most of the day. We started the day at 50 degrees and our high was 62 with gray overcast skies and fog at times. I saw my first pink wild roses today plus a little indian paintbrush.
Jun 24: Our low was 53 and our high 75 today. Last night we had some ominous fronts with dark black clouds pass by but at least here in Croftville nothing came from it. Today there was lots of sun, a relatively calm lake, and blue skies. My daughter's crabapple tree she found in the woods many year ago is in full bloom. The honeysuckles in front of the 3 cottages are beginning to bloom as well.
Jun 23: It is a gorgeous morning with a low of 50 and we are at 54 as we approach noon. Lake Superior is calm and smooth with just pale blue ripples on its surface. The lake disappears into a white mist about a mile from shore. Overhead we have blue skies and a couple small white clouds. The air is calm today. The ground is covered with fuzz from the aspens and the dandelions.
Jun 22: It is a picture perfect summer day the day after the solstice and our first full day of summer. We have 1ft textured blue waves from the south against a crisp horizon. Skies are blue with lots of sun and very little clouds. Our low was a pleasant 50 degrees and our high was a surprising late afternoon 78 even though it never felt that warm. The lilacs are blooming in Grand Marais but not yet here next to the lake.
Jun 21: We woke up to 50 degrees this morning and heavy fog. There are 1-2ft silver gray waves from the south although I can only see them right at the shore with the fog. There is a breeze and it has already warmed up to 62 at 9am which makes me believe there is a good chance that the fog will either burn off or dissipate.
Jun 20: Our low for the day was 47 and our high was 64 briefly yesterday afternoon. This was while the rest of Minnesota was in the 90's and in some cases breaking 100. The effect of Lake Superior on temperature is amazing. We had to travel to Duluth yesterday and on the top of the hill it was 97 degrees. Down near the lake in Duluth it was in the 80's and by the time we got near the more open area of the lake in Two Harbors it had dropped into the 60's and 70's depending on how close to the lake you were. By the time we enetered Cook County we were back into the 50's.
Jun 19: No direct sun today so the mosquitoes and gnats are just swarming outside. We are having waves of cloudbanks and dark skies pass overhead today with rain coming and going. Right now we have a hazy gray horizon across the lake. We are at 62 at 3pm after a morning low of 49. Lake Superior has 1ft textured gray waves from the SE. The rest of Minnesota is reported in the 90's today.
Jun 18: The breeze off the lake is cool this morning in the bright sun. Skies are lightly overcast with some high clouds in places and wisps of clouds over Gitche Gumi. There is a crisp horizon line on the lake with 1ft highly textured blue waves with navy shadows from the SE.Our morning temp was 48 dgrees and we have already warmed to 56 at 10am. It might be a hot day here in Croftville.
Jun 17: Our low was a very warm 62 overnight and our high jumped briefly to 82 late this afternoon before plummeting quickly in the evening. Lake Superior was gorgeous with a deep blue surface and 1ft waves from the SE against deep sky blue skies, a few clouds, and a warm sun. Yet, we are having the worst gnats, mosquitoes, and black ants we can remember experiencing. Even when the afternoon breeze picked up, it still didn't help.
Jun 16: There is a lot happening today, weather-wise. Right now we have 3-5ft almost black waves from the south pounding into the black basalt. We have strong winds whipping the tops of our trees and whistling through our double-hung windows. There is blue in the sky between the many cumulus clouds, both white and dark gray, and cloudfronts. We have sun. However, this morning there was a heavy fog with almost no visibility on the water. This was followed by a heavy but short rain. Our low this morning was a chilly 43 degrees but we are already at 68 early in the afternoon.
Jun 15: We woke to 48 this morning and heavy fog. Briefly during the night the overcast and clouds lifted and we could see the nearly full moon over Lake Superior. If the fog does lift this morning, the predictions are for rain this afternoon. The air is still and visibility on the gray lake is only a 100 yards before everything disappears into the white.
Jun 14: We had a low of 50 and a high of 64 today. There was some light rain in the morning and overcast skies all day long. Lake Superior had 1-2ft gray waves from the SE. The air was still. In southern Minnesota today it was in the 90's with heat index readings of over 100. I guess this is the place to be. However, the mosquitos and gnats were out in force today, even near the big cold lake.
Jun 13: A rainstorm arrived at 4am this morning. We have been spoiled by the dry weather of the last couple weeks. After the initial front with strong rains and wind passed, we now have heavy overcast skies and light rain with no end in sight for today. Our low this morning was 50 degrees and our temp at noon is 53. Lake Superior is a monochrome bluish gray with 1ft waves from the SE. The horizon is crisp and you can see individual clouds and cloudbanks across the lake. Weather appears a little mor fair on the other side of the lake.
Jun 12: Lake Superior was flat and still until evening when it started to have small waves brushing the shore. The stillness of the water had lots of fuzz from the aspen trees floatiung on the surface. Our low was 52 and our high today was 58. We took our new canoe out for its maiden voyage on Lake Superior. Boy, is that water icy cold. However, I was surprised by the amount of algea growing on the rocks of the lake bed. It is only early June but the green algea is quite noticable. The biggest surprise was at the mouth of the Devils Track River. The high water of the river last month resulted in the river picking up and pushing rocks out into the lake almost 100 yards before the current dissipated enough to allow the rocks to drop. This resulted in the large berm of rocks 2-3ft above the lake surface 100 yards from the normal shoreline.
Jun 11: We had another still surface on Gitche Gumee today. It was pale blue against a white fuzzy horizon. Skies overhead were clear and blue this afternoon after ebing overcast and looking like possible rain this morning. The morning low was 48 and our high was 64.
Jun 10: It was a warm 51 degree low last night and we climbed to 68 this afternoon. The lake was still and silent today with only blue ripples at times. Skies were blue with only occasional small cumulus clouds passing through on this spectacular day. Of course, Lake Superior has a way to control the weather. When a small breeze would change direction to off the lake those temps in the 60's almost instantly would drop into the 50's.
Jun 9: What a strange day with temperatures. Our low this morning was a whopping 53 degrees which is the warmest overnight low this spring by 6 or 7 degrees. Our high was 68 degrees around 11am and then temps began to decline. We were back in the 50's by early afternoon and were are now at 54 degrees at 10pm. Lake Superior was blue and surprisingly still. The fuzz from the aspens was collecting on the top of the water near the shore.
Jun 8: Our low was 49 and our high is 60 degrees at 9pm. We traveled to Duluth today with just gorgeous weather, blue skies, and the sun against your face. Temps rose into the mid and upper 70's in Duluth and was 81 degrees in Two Harbors on our way home. However, after Two Harbors temps quickly dropped into the 50's all the way to Grand Marais and just hit 60 at 9pm. Lake Superior was blue and mostly calm. There was a very dark sky to the north with bad weather.
Jun 7: The sky was clear and the lake was still last night. I could only hear an occasional ripple brushing against the rocks. It was too quiet for me to sleep so I got up and watched some mindless TV show. This morning we have deep blue skies with small gray bottomed cottonball cumulus clouds dotting the blue. Our low was 46. There is a gray hazy fog over the lake that doesn't allow us to see the horizon.
Jun 6: We had another beautiful day here in Croftville. Our low was 46 and our high was a surprising 68 because it never felt that warm. That was probably because of the morning winds that made being outdoors feel cool. There was sun and blue skies all day.
Jun 5: The air is still and the new leaves on the quaking aspens are silent. Lake Superior is a pale blue with 1ft roller waves from the SE on a textured lake surface. We have silver highlights and navy shadows. The horizon line is fuzzy with a tall white but faint cloudbank on the other side of the lake. Looks like they might get rain in northern Wisconsin. Our low was 41 this morning and I saw frost on the rooves of the cottages. At 1pm we have a cool 51 degrees.
Jun 4: Lake Superior was a pale blue and mostly still today with only ripples on its surface. There was a white horizon line. The rest of the sky was a mix of blue skies and white cumulus clouds. Our low was 42 and in spite of the sunshine, our high was only 60. The commercial fisherman have set their nets in front of Croftville Road Cottages today.
Jun 3: Lake Superior has small 6" waves from the south today. The waves are gray blue with greenish gray highlights and blue shadows. The sky is blue with cumulus clouds dotting the sky.
Jun 2: Our low was 44 and our high was 64 here in Croftville. It was a nice spring day with plenty of sun earlier. Tonight the lake has turned to a silver gray with a little brown or copper in it. There are 1-2ft waves from the south. The skies to the south and west are dark and look like severe weather. The sky above the lake horizon is a dark navy blue with a narrow band of almost black navy blue just below the horizon.
Jun 1: Our low was 47 and our high 61 here along Lake Superior in Croftville. We had 1-3ft blue waves from the south. Skies had clouds but plenty of sun, too. The aspens are now almost completely leafed out even though they have that pale green color of new leaves
May 2022
May 31: It was a mighty windy day today. There were times I thought it was going to storm as the clouds and skies darkened. There were times the sun came out and made it a great time to lounge, soak up the sun, and enjoy the lake. There was an amazing lightning storm to our south last night but the lightning and rain never made it to us. Our low was 46 and our high in the mid 60's today. Lake Superior had 2-3ft waves from the SE in a variety of colors depending on the time of the day.
May 30: This day started with heavy rain, dryed up around noon, and was on the verge of sun at 3pm. Our high was a surprising 59 degrees after we started the day at 39 degrees. It was cold as we sat at a fire last night waiting for the first cruise ship in modern times to pass by us on its way to Duluth. Today Lake Superior has heavy fog over it with a visibility of about 200ft. The surface has 2-3ft green waves from the SE.
May 29: It was a pretty nice day outside. Not much sun and mostly overcast. When there was a breeze off the lake it became cold very fast. It stayed in the low 50's by Lake Superior but inland just a little up at Devils Track Lake it was in the 70's. Lake Superior had 1-3ft gray blue waves from the SE.
May 28: It began raining around 6am and rained or misted all day long. Skies were a steady gray overcast with sometimes heavy rain. Lake Superior is speaking to us with 1-2ft waves from the SE brushing into the rocks. It was graduation day for our daughter but the rain let up enough for her to enjoy post commencement parade from the school to the harbor with her body sticking out the sun roof of our car at 3pm.
May 27: Family arrived for our daughter's graduation weekend today. We have closed the inn for the weekend and filled it with friends and family to celebrate her high school graduation as the class salutatorian. Lake Superior has only ripples on its surface and is silent. We enjoyed a group fire by the lake and since our only guests were family, we could be as loud as we wanted as our voices echoed off the smooth surface.
May 26: Lake Superior was glass this morning and stayed silent with only ripples from the wakes of the few boats cruising around. Weather was mixed with bouts of sun and rain.
May 25: It is a rainy day on Lake Superior with light rain beginning just before daybreak and continuing on through the afternoon. It doesn't appear we will break 50 degrees today. Lake Superior is silver gray with a textured surface and 1-2ft waves from the ESE. The lake melts away into an indistinct horizon and into a gray sky.
May 24: It was a chilly 33 degrees this morning but the sun warmed things up quickly with a high of 63 in the late afternoon. We were in Duluth for a shopping trip and it got into the low 70's on the Miller Hill.
May 23: I graduated from Augsburg 40 years ago today and I proposed to Teresa 29 years ago today. It is a beautiful spring morning here in Croftville. Gitche Gumi has 6" bluish gray roller waves from the SSE that disappear into a light fog over the lake. Overhead we have partly cloudy skies with gray cumulus clouds filling about half the sky between the patches of deep blue. I here the wings of the hummingbirds as they fight over the feeders. It was cold this morning at 36 by the big lake. Certainly there must of been a sub freezing temps inland.
May 22: The aspens are beginning to leaf out today. Looking up the hill from Grand Marais you can see that pale yellowish green hue of the aspens as they begin to leaf out. This has come to mean spring to me more than any other indicator on the North Shore. We had mostly cloudy skies today with plenty of sun at times. There was a cold wind from the west and it never warmed up much today with a high of 52 and a low of 43.
To everything there is a season. Our cat of 15 years passed away yesterday. She was sitting in the grass looking out at her domain. She could hear the chipmunks, hummingbirds, songbirds, and the gentle breaking of the waves. The sun was out and she was chewing on the fresh green blades of grass. We knew this was coming for the last couple months and in the past week her breathing had changed to shallow panting. The night before was the first time she would not purr for me. I brushed her back as she sat there in the grass and felt how skinny she had become. I told her she was a good kitty and I would come back and check on her in a few minutes. When I returned she was gone and her eyes were wide open. I disinctly smelled my Dad's cologne during the early morning hours, I now know he had come to take her with him, he was always a cat lover. I don't think any cat could have had a better life than Meu Meow. She was the lioness of her domain becoming only slightly domesticated in the winter and almost completely feral in the summer. She loved being outdoors and had the run of the resort having trained her people to let her in and out whenever she beckoned. I celebrate her amazing life, but her people are very much missing her.
May 21: This morning we have gray overcast skies after having light rain last evening. Our low was 40 degrees. Lake Superior has gray 1ft waves on a highly textured surface from the south. The buds are now showing on our balsam aspen trees.
May 20: Our low this morning was 40 degrees and our high is 52 today. There are mixed skies. There are times it is almost sunny, there are times with heavy overcast, and there are times with partly cloudy skies. They wind is strong today. Lake Superior has 2-3ft blue gray waves from the south with brown and green shadows.
May 19: It was an overcast day with rain coming down periodically throught the night and day. Lake Superior was calm with only ripples on its surface of pale gray blue waters. Our high stayed in the 40's today with all the cloud cover.
May 18: Our temperature range today was 41 to 54. Lake Superior was blue and calm with ripples this morning and gray and overcast on a textured surface this afternoon with rain. We attended a track meet in Esko today and the weather was warm and sunny with the rain not coming in until after the meet was complete. Driving down we could watch the trees as they went from just budding here in Grand Marais to the pale green color of the canopy as the aspens just begin to leaf out south of Duluth.
May 17: Lake Superior is a pale blue with only ripples on the surface. The surface disappears into a white fog or haze about a quarter mile from shore. There are isolated small stringy clouds in an otherwise blue sky. Our high yesterday was 62 and our low 42 this morning. We are still in the 40's here by the lake at 1pm.
May 16: We have mostly cloudy skies this morning with heavy cumulus clouds with heavy gray bottoms. It is 49 degrees this morning. We have 6" blue waves from the SSW this morning. The air is still. We can now see buds on the aspens.
May 15: It was a beautiful and warm spring day here in Croftville. Our low was 44 and our high 62. Lake Superior was blue with 1ft waves from the SE. It was really windy in the morning. In the late afternoon dark clouds came in and we had a couple short showers.
May 14: Lake Superior is calm and pale blue this morning with 1ft smooth roller waves from the SE. Visibility on the lake is limited with a white bank of fog over its surface. Elsewhere we have clear cool blue skies with a 43 degree low this morning.
May 13: We traveled to Duluth today and got to see first hand the results of melting snows higher up and the heavy rain along the shore last night from the all night thunder and lightning storm that lit up the skies. There was talk of closing Highway 61 at a number of bridge crossings as that milky copper colored water raged through the rivers and creeks. Of particular concern was the crossing at Cascade River which had crews there monitoring the water levels and the bridge. It was in the 70's up on the hill in Duluth and it was in the low 60's down by the lake and at Denfeld High School for the track meet. Heavy fog covered 61 at times on our trip down and back. Here in Croftville, our high was 62.
May 12: We have had bouts of rain and overcast skies today. Although we barely made it to the 50's today, there were some 90's in southern Minnesota. That is a remarkable temperature gradient and it usually is a foreboding of some turbulent weather. We finished getting our patio furniture out for the summer. Some years we have that patio furniture out by April 1. This was quite a winter and a very cold spring. Lake Superior continues to through up logs and debris onto the shore that have been expelled into the lake by Devils Track River.
May 11: It was a pleasant spring day with a low of 44 and a high of 60 here in Croftville. There was some sun but the hazy overcasst in the air prevented us from getting completyely unfiltered sunlight. It was enough sun to create shadows. The big lake has 1-2ft waves from the SE. There were 2 narrow bands of flotsam near the shore and I can see eveidence of another band that washed up onto the rocks.
May 10: The gooseberries had leafed out today. They are almost always the first bushes or trees to leaf out each spring. It was a warm day today after a high of 67 yesterday we managed the low 60's today after a morning low of 45. Skies were mixed today with a little sun, a little light overcast, and a little cloud cover. Lake Superior has thrown many logs to shore in the past few days. My guess is that they were cast into the lake from Devil Track River and now have washed up on shore. Lake Superior had 3ft waves from the SE churning away at the rocks today.
May 9: Lake Superior has 2 horizontal bands of water today. Close to shore is a band of brownish copper water from the runoff. The further out band is a deep blue with green shadow. We have 3-4ft waves from the SE with a moderate wind. Skies are a gray overcast with intermittent rain showers. The low was 47 and our high will be in the low 50's this afternoon.
May 8: Skies were lightly overcast most of the day with a light rain for part of the afternoon. Our low was 44 after a high of 62 yesterday. Lake Superior continued with 1-2ft waves from the SE against a hazy horizon. At times the skies looked very dark but that more severe weather never made it to Croftville.
May 7: It is a beautiful spring day today with a low of 43 this morning after an afternoon high of 58 yesterday. We have clear blue skies, a gentle breeze, and a blue Lake Superior with 1-2ft waves from the SE. There is a band of copper water near the shore from the spring run-off.
May 6: The waves are back on Gitche Gumi. We have 2ft dark navy waves with white reflections from the SE. The sky at the horizon is white and then turns blue. There is plenty of sun but the air is mostly still. We had 32 degrees and frost on the roofs this morning but we are at 45 degrees at 11am. Yesterday we had a high of 55 which is the warmest day this spring so far. We saw lots of ducks on the water yesterday.
May 5: It was 32 this morning with clear blue skies and sun. Lake Superior is again completely still and a pale blue. I never ceased to be amazed at how big and cold Lake Superior is. Here we are in May and without any wave action on the lake, the lake is still cold enough to create sheets of surface ice. Do not ever forget the raw power of Lake Superior to change the life of anyone who "dares" interact with it.
May 4: It is sunny with a scattering of small faint clouds in the air. The lake is still and blue almost like glass. It was cool this morning with 30 degrees. The stillness of the lake created small sheets of ice that I could see out on the surface. We have warmed to 47 this afternoon which is probably our high for the day. The afternoon air is still.
May 3: It was a little colder today with a low of 35 and a high of 44 here in Croftville. There was still plenty of sunlight. Lake Superior had 2ft blue waves. Two nice spring days in a row with the snow cover along the lake rapidly receding. Who could have thought this possible?
May 2: It was one of the first decent spring days today with a low of 38 and a high of 52 along hte lake today. I think Grand Marais may have been the hot spot in all of Minnesota today. Plenty of sun and 2-3ft waves from the SE on the big lake.
May 1: It is a heavily overcast day with light rain at times here in Croftville. Temperatures are steady with a low of 40 and a high of 42 today. It rained long and steady overnight which is obvious from the runoff. Lake Superior has a visibility of a couple hundred yards with a chocolate milk band near the shore and a greenish blue band further out before the 2-3ft waves disappear into the fog.
April 2022
Apr 30: The waves were fierce this morning and all day with 3-4ft waves from the SE all day. Again we had the copper band close to shore and a gray band with blue shadows further out. The winds were also fierce making walking on Croftville Road a confusing task and really swaying the treetops. Rain began shortly after noon. Our low was 40 and our high 48 for the day.
Apr 29: The sun is gone with medium gray overcast skies this morning. Lake Superior is has 2 horizontal bands. The band closest to shore is copper colored likely from runoff in the streams and rivers. The futher out band is grayish blue with green shadows. The lake has 1-2ft waves from the SE. Our morning temperature is 37 degrees. Apr 28: We had a low of 24 and a high of 44 today with blue skies and sun until midafternoon. Lake Superior had 6" to 1ft roller waves from the SSE that were just large enough to break on the shore rocks. The sky above the horizon was a grayish white. Just below the horizon there were 3 narrow bands. The first was a pencil thin dark navy band. The second was a mediun sky blue band. The third was a smooth light blue band that may have been an area of thin ice. The reset of the lake returned to the medium sky blue band.
Apr 27: I think is has been a long time since I said this, today we had clear blue skies and sun all day long. Lake Superior had 1-2ft blue waves with brown shadows from the SE. Our low was 25 and our high only 41 so far at 4pm. I would have thought the sun and clear skies would have warmed things up more.
Apr 26: We are now in our last week of April and our low this morning was 25 and our high for the day was 37 with overcast skies and a gray Lake Superior with 1ft waves from the SE. It feels like winter will never let go of its grip even though our snow cover continues to decrease (especially after the heavy but cold rains from a couple days ago. We actually attended a track meet in Esko today where it was 35 and cloudy at the meet. It is probably the coldest track meet I have ever been at. Luckily, I was dressed like it was a nordic ski meet.
Apr 25: The day began with a high in the morning of 35 and has slowly but steadily dropped down to 35 by 6pm. Lake Superior began he day with 2ft waves from the SE but those waves have subsided through the day intil we have still waters by 6pm. No sun today with overcast and cloudy skies. Lake Superior was a bluish gray.
Apr 24: Gitche Gumi has 2-3ft blue waves from the SE this morning. There is a copper colored band of water close to the shore from the rain runoff. We start the day with 43 degrees and I expect it will get much warmer with the sun out.
Apr 23: It rained and then rained some more and then rained some more. It rained last night, it rained in the early morning, it rained in the afternoon, and it rained in the evening. Our low was was 35 this morning and our high is right now at 10pm with 45 degrees. long with the rain was lightning and a lot of it. And along with the lightning was powerful winds. Lake Superior had 4 to 5ft waves all day from the SE. There was a copper brown band near the shore and a greenish blue band further out. The rain really helped to shrink the snow cover near the shore.
Apr 22: It only got to the mid 30's last night but it is not warming much today with 39 degrees at noon and overcast skies. Lake Superior is a grayish blue with 2-3ft waves from the SE. The horizon line is white and there are patches of blue over the lake but everywhere else it looks like rain is on the way.
Apr 21: It started at 29 degrees but climbed to 50 degrees briefly with a day of sun. The sun changed to cloudy skies in the afternoon and finally to overcast skies as we approached the evening. The sun felt so good on your face. Lake Superior was blue with blue waves from the SE.
Apr 20: The snow started coming down around 1pm this afternoon. We have strong winds from the SE. The morning low was 29 but it was 35 when the snow started. The snow is more like little snow pellets hitting the ground. Lake Superior has 2-4ft waves breaking into the shore from the SE. I get to drive to Minneapolis tonight, I hope I drive out of this winter storm.
Apr 19: What a surprising morning. It was cold at 23 degrees. The lake was calm with a blue surface. But the surprising thing was that I woke up to sun and blue skies. The sunny skies warmed things up nicely by the afternoon and a good portion of the 5 inches of wet snow from yesterday was disappearing with the 45 degree high and sun. Oh, and by the way, they are predicting cold temperatures and a winter storm warning with 3 to 6 inches of snow again for tomorrow.
Apr 18: The snow began around 11pm and this morning at 9am we have about 4 inches of accumulated wet snow blanketing everything with snow still coming down. Overnight we has 32 and now it is 33 degrees. Visibility is about a half mile with 2ft brownish ble waves from the SE hitting the shore. There is a strong southern wind that is bringing the snow down almost horizontal at times.
Apr 17: Our morning low was 23 and our high was 33 late in the afternoon when the sun came out briefly after a gray overcast day. Heavy snow is expected tonight and through tomorrow in a narrow band along the North Shore a the winds shift from the south to create ideal conditions for lake effect snow. Almost all snow and ice are now gone from the lake shore and the bare patches of ground are getting larger. However, it still does not feel like spring outside.
Apr 16: It is another cold day with a cold breeze and temperatures once again hovering on either side of freezing. Skies are overcast and it feels like an eternity since we had a bright sunny day where you can feel the sun against your face. Lake Superior is a greenish gray. The rain from the last couple days has water levels in the ditches high with many culverts still frozen solid from winter. There are several places on Croftville Road that water is oozing across the pavement.
Apr 15: There was more snow once again over night and snow dustings at least 3 times today. Our low was 24 and our high was 32 today. The wind is strong at times. Lake Superior has 2-4ft silver green waves from the south. The sun tries to break through the gray overcast but is never completely successful.
Apr 14: The rain changed to slush which changed to snow right around sunrise this morning. It was about an inch of slush with a half inch dusting of snow embedded in it. The result is that everything is white again and looks like winter. Our afternoon high of 38 was just enough to get rid of most of it even with the gray overcast skies. However, temps dropped back down to 32 around 6pm and the snow with big heavy flakes began falling once again. And to think Easter is now only 2 days away. I can hear the waves pounding against the rocks.
Apr 13: Our low this morning was 34 and we are at 38 at 1pm. Skies are a heavy gray overcast. Rain continued through the night and light rain continues to come down now. Lake Superior has 4ft whitecaps from the SE that are pounding the shore. There is a 50ft band of chocolate water close to the shore and blue green band of water further out.
Apr 12: Our high today was 54 which was our first 50 degree day so far this year. We hit that temperature around noon before temps began to drop. By mid afternoon we were in the low 40's and by 6pm it was raining and continued to rain through the evening. There are severe storms to our west and south but it looks like here along the shore we are just going to see rain and winds. Lake Superior had waves growing throughout the day.
Apr 11: Happy Birthday to our son, Joey. It is windy today with strong steady winds from the west. The skies overhead are overcast with small patches of blue to the west and cloudy skies over the big lake. Superior has 2-3ft wvaes from the south on a textured surface. It has 2 bands. The bank near the shore is copper colored probably from spring runoff and the waves churning up the lake bed. The further out band is a silver blue. The temperature is 42 at 11am after overnight temps in the upper 30's.
Apr 10: Lake Superior was glass early this morning. It was 27 this morning and the stillness of the water allowed small sheets of thin ice to form in places on the lake. Our high for the day was 49 and as that temperature rose, so did wave motion on the lake as the sun pumped energy into the lake surface.
Apr 9: Yesterday afternoon Lake Superior was a brilliant blue and the same is true today with not a cloud in the blue sky. After a high of 44 yesterday afternoon we dropped to 27 again this morning but the sun is warming things up quickly as it is already 38 at 10am. Lake Superior has small textured waves waves from the south today. The sun is steadily working at our snow cover. After the rain from a couple days ago and the sun high in the sky the past 2 days, we can now begin to see bare spots on the ground.
Apr 8: The wind is howling through our double hung windows from the north. After it tries to pass through the inn it is diverted around and over it and then buffets the lake. You can watch the gusts move out over the pale blue surface. Lake Superior has 1ft roller waves with long wavelengths from the SE. They would porbably be larger in amplitude but the north wind is helping to subdue the wave heights. Overhead, we have scattered cloudfronts with a little sunlight making it through. It was 27 this morning.
Apr 7: Our low was 32 and we are still at 32 at 12 noon. A wet snow is coming down lightly. We have white overcast skies. We have 2-3ft waves from the SE on Lake Superior. The first band of a couple hundred yards is a brownish gold. The second band is a pale blue that disappers in the fog about a half mile from shore.
Apr 6: The storm hit last night around 1am. From what I understand, people a little inland from the lake here in Grand Marais go hit with up to 12" of heavy wet snow. However, it stayed warmer by the shore and we got mostly rain with a little slush thrown into the mix. There was enough slush while I was walking on Croftville Road to leave wet footprints. Our low was 34 and surprisingly we spiked to 41 just briefly late this afternoon when the rain quit and it almost looked like the sun might come out. Lake Superior was turbulent all day with 4ft waves churning up the lake bed and creating a brown band of waves close to the shore.
Apr 5: Our low this morning was 32 and our high was 35. Temperatures stayed steady by the lake as gray overcast skies dominated the Grand Marais area. We could once again see blue skies across the lake in the UP. Winter storm warnings have dominated the day with a prediction of 12 inches of wet snow here in grand Marais overnight. Myself, I think it is likely we will se much less snow and more rain here along the shore. Lake Superior has been building waves all day from the SE. Currently we have 4ft waves at sunset. We have had steady winds with occasional strong gust from the east all day.
Apr 4: We woke up to a dusting of snow and 33 degrees this morning. The snow accumulated on steps and raised walkways but the pavement and roofs were too warm to allow any accumulation. The high yesterday peaked at 47 degrees and it felt good to go out walking without and appreciable wind. Today it is a light gray overcast. We have some misting and there is fog. We have limited visibility on the lake of about a half mile. There are greenish gray 1-2ft waves from the SE with green shadows.
Apr 3: There are 1ft silver gray waves from the south on Lake Superior this afternoon. I can see blue skies at the horizon line. However, the rest of our skies are cloudy and overcast. Our low was 35 this morning and our high so far is 42 at 1pm. It feels like it would get a lot warmer if the sun came out but it doesn't appear that is going to happen.
Apr 2: We had a high of 44 this afternoon after a low this morning of 32. The morning started with a brief but heavy snow squall with beg heavy snowflakes. It was enought to make a thin layer of white on bare surfaces but was gone shortly after it came down after the sun came outs and the temperatures rose. We had partly cloudy skies most of the day. Lake Superior is a blue gray this evening with 1-2ft waves from the south.
Apr 1: We woke up to a still lake and little patches of thin surface ice on Lake Superior this morning. The day has had mostly clear skies but temperatures were stubborn to rise until midafternoon. We began the day at 19 and are now at 40 degrees at 3pm. There is a mild breeze and a light blue horizon across the lake with plenty of sun. Lake Superior has a textured surface with 1ft blue waves with green shadows from the SSE.
March 2022
Mar 31: We had 1ft gray roller waves from the SE on a textured lake surface today. There is very little breeze and the skies are cloudy with just the smallest breaks between the cloudbanks. We were 29 this morning and our high this afternoon is 36. This is warm enough to soften the 2-3" of wet snow we got yesterday but without the direct sun there is not much melting taking place.
Mar 30: As we drove back from Stewartville to Grand Marais today, we were reminded that winter has not let go of its grip all the way from the SE corner to the NE arrowhead. At times the snow and freezing rain were treacherous. The slushy fresh snow of at least 3 inches was evident from Hinckley north. But the weather for the most part shined on us with wet to almost dry pavement for most of the trip. The oddest thing was that we began at 34 in Stewartville, dropped to 32 north of the twin cities, back to 34 in Duluth but our warmest temperature was 37 in Grand Marais. Overcast skies and fog kept us from enjoying much of Lake Superior but we could see pockets of broken up ice near the shores.
Mar 29: We are still away from the big lake today. Instead, we explored the remains of the lake that Teresa grew up next to in Stewartville. It was cold out and there was a brisk wind. However, the lack of snow still mad it feel like spring. Lake Florence was a lake created in Stewartville when the Root River was damned for a flour mill in the 1800's. Sedimentation over the years made it little more than a shallow pond by the 1990's. The damn was removed and the river was restored to its original banks. The sedimentation was scuplted into a beautiful park with a small pond in it. We will be returning to our big lake tomorrow.
Mar 28: We are away from Lake Superior today and in southern Minnesota visiting friends and family. Although the temperatures are cold and hovering around freezing, it is so remarkable that the only snow left here is in the gravel covered and now mostly melted heaps leftover from snow removal. I never cease to be amazed at how quickly I miss the big lake even though 35 years of my life was spent in SE Minnesota.
Mar 27: There are only ripples on Lake Superior this morning. I can still see chunks of ice bobbing in the water that were probably ripped from the shore with the large winds and waves a couple days ago. After a high of 30 yesterday, we dropped to 6 degrees last night by the shore. This was also low enough to create regions of small ice cubes that give the appearance of a rough surface as the sunlight reflects off of the crystals.
Mar 26: The wind picked up last night. At 7:45pm we lost power until about 3:30am. I am not surprised with the way the wind was whipping the tops of the trees and howling and whistling through our double hung windows. It was a very chilly 17 degrees this morning. There is still a substantial wind but nothing like last night. Overhead are blue skies but partly cloudy ove the lake. There is a white horizon line and the lake surface is a variety if isolated ice patches, blues, grays, silvers, and reflected light from the sun. The Soo Locks opened yesterday and sure enough, we saw 2 ore freighters pass by during the night enroute to Duluth.
Mar 25: Lake Superior was glass last night. We were at North House Folk School and it is rare for Lake Superior to be as still as the Grand Marais Harbor. It was 47 yesterday but only 37 today. Our overnight low was 27. We woke up to rain and snow flurries this morning. The gray overcast skies were reflected by the gray still lake. The rain ended before noon and then a cold wind off Lake Superior began. Not a pleasant afternoon for a walk along the lake.
Mar 24: After most of the shoveling was done last night it began to snow again. Boy, did that knock the wind out of our sails. But luckily, that snow did not result in any additional accumulation. We will complete shoveling out today. We have blue skies, plenty of sun and a crisp horizon. Lake Superior has 1ft waves from the SSE on a textured grayish blue surface. We dropped to 32 this morning but have already hit 40 degrees at 11am.
Mar 23: The snow began coming down heavy around 6pm last night. Temperatures dropped just below freezing to 30 degrees changing the sleet to snow. This morning it is 33 degrees with light snow. We ended up with 6-7" of wet fresh snow during the night. Skies are a light gray overcast and still look like snow conditions. Kitche Gami has 3ft grayish blue waves from the SE in front of a fuzzy horizon. There are chunks of snow and ice manuevering through the waves. I guess it is a shoveling day.
Mar 22: We woke up to sleet and freezing rain this morning. Our low this morning was 32 and it has remained unchanged all through the morning. Lake Superior has 3 bands of 3ft waves against a hazy gray sky that the lake disappears in. The closest band is a brownish green, the narrow middle band is a transluscent green and the furthest out band is a monotone gray. The sleet is excpected to change to snow sometime today.
Mar 21: We have 2-3ft waves with whitecaps from the SE this afternoon. Close to shore they are a brownish gray from the lakebed being churned up. Then they are turquoise with green shadows. Further out the waves are a deep blue. Skies are sunny but there is a dark band of skies above the horizon across the lake. Our low was 35 on this first day of spring and our high is only 41 in spite of the warm start and the sunny skies.
Mar 20: It was a beautiful sunny afternoon with a high of 47. There are short choppy 1ft deep blue waves on Lake Superior from the SE. Our low this morning was 28 and cold enough to form ice on surfaces that were thawing and dripping yesterday. The lake has a thin robins egg blue band jsut below the horizon.
Mar 19: We had a low of 24 and a high of 43 today. Once we were finished cleaning we headed for Duluth for an afternoon of shopping, eating and an eveneiing movie. Coming home we watched as the not quite full moon rose on the lake surface. It came up bright orange as the reflected light had to travel far through the atmosphere. As the moon rose it eventually rurned to yellow and finally to white by the time we got back to Grand Marais as the relfected moon light traveled less and less through the atmosphere.
Mar 18: Temps dropped down to 29 this morning and have now moved into the mid 30's which is where they will stay on this light gray overcast day. Our cat didn't come in last night. She is out wandering because of the signs of spring she sees. I hope she is OK and that she returns. She has been returning for 15 years. Lake Superior has 1-2ft dark gray waves against a clear sky horizon.
Mar 17: It got to a remarkable 47 degrees yesterday by the lake. Today the temps remained in the upper 30's. Lake Superior was gray and still. We traveled to Prescott, Wisconsin for a funeral. As we moved south the snowcover continued to diminish. By the time we got to Prescott there were only patches of snow left. On the trip back up to Grand Marais the sun finally came out and felt so good (if only it wasn't in my eyes).
Mar 16: We have our first rain at since least December this morning. We have gray overcast skies and light rain. Lake Superior is a still silver gray. You can see all the rocks on the lakebed close to shore. The lake disappears into fog about 100 yards from shore. Our low this morning was 35 degrees but that was cold enough combined with the frozen ground to create a thin layer of ice on most surfaces.
Mar 15: Beware of the Ides of March. Our low was 21 this morning and our high was 45. It is the warmest day day this year. I can't believe haw much slush is on Croftville Road. I had assumed our ice pack on the raod that has been growing since December was 1 or 2 inches. But as it melts and the pavement becomes exposed, it is obvious that there was 3-4" of packed snow and ice on Croftville Road. Lake Superior was mostly still today. We had strong wind gusts and lightly overcast skies.
Mar 14: Gitche Gumee is still this morning with only ripples on its smooth gray surface. Except for ice drifts straddling the shore, there is no ice to be seen. There is a thin navy band on the lake just below the horizon. We woke up to 14 this morning after the temperature staying a steady 28 from late morning to just after sunset yesterday. I can once again see the tops of some of the benches around the fire circles. I guess that suggests that in places the snow has compacted or thawed enough to be only around 18 inches deep.
Mar 13: Temps continued to rise through the day yesterday and we were 20 degrees this morning. It fells good to get out of yesterday's cold temps but with the warming up overnight also came snow. We were only supposed to get a maximum of 2 inches but we woke to 3" this morning and looks like we will end up with at least 5 fresh inches befor this snow ends. Skies are white overcast with light snow still falling. Lake Superior has 1ft gray waves from the south. Skies look like they are clearing up in northern Wisconsin.
Mar 12: You do not expect 3 below on March 12 beside an unfrozen Lake Superior. I could almost not believe my eyes when I saw the little steam curliques rising off the lake surface when I woke up. I thought we would be past those as we begin to look forward to more moderate temperatures and occasional thaws. Skies are clear blue except for a cloudmass over the lake. Lake Superior is a dark blue with siler highlights and blinding reflections from the son. We hav 1ft waves on a highly textured surface from the south.
Mar 11: It was a strange day of weather. We had snow squall warnings today in Cook County. A snow squall are intense snow and wind for brief periods of time that leave you with zero visibility. I guess it is sort of a mini blizzard and it is quite dangerous to drive under these unpredictable conditions. Snow has been intermittent today and light. But the winds are gale force and have not taken a break all day long. Our low this morning was 11 and our high only 16 here in Croftville. We had sun, clouds, and overcast switching places today. Lake Superior had 1-4ft steel blue waves from the SE today with white highlights when the sun was out.
Mar 10: After a high of 26 we dropped all the way down to 0 degrees this morning. Skies are partly cloudy with cumulus clouds dotting the blue sky. We have steel blue 2ft waves on a highly textured surface from the south basking into the ice drifts on the shore. The chilling wind off the lake from yesterday has got even more biting today.
Mar 9: It was 16 degrees this morning after an afternoon high yesterday that hit 40. Since December we have not got above freezing at all until last week and now we have made it all the way to 40. We are starting to see patches of dry pavement on Croftville Road which we have not seen since before Christmas. It is fun to see breaks in the cold and some thawing temperatures during the day. It is another windy day with white overcast skies. Lake Superior has 2ft gray waves from the south. There are silver highlights and navy shadows close to the shore. The sun provides blinding white reflections on the lake surface even though you cannot see the sun directly through the overcast.
Mar 8: It is a windy and overcast day today. Temperature down along the lake was 22 this morning after a remarkable high of 39 yesterday in the late afternoon. Lake Superior has 3ft greenish gray waves from the south pounding into what remains of the ice drift on the shore. You can spot ice chunks in the waves that have not yet been reabsorbed by the lake. There is a narrow band of dark blue water near the horizon and there are visible whitecaps further out from the shore. Even though the temperature is currently 27, it feels cold outside that I think is a combination of the wind and high humidity.
Mar 7: Our low this morning was 22. We have clear blue skies today. The lake was clear of ice last night except for an ice drift that protruded about 20ft from the shore. However, the lake became still during the night and there are new thin ice floats that have formed in the water. It will be interesting to see what becomes of them as the sun adds energy into the lake.
Mar 6: We had a high of 36 today with sun and blue skies most of the day. As the waves grew, they began eating away at our ice shelf and then churning up the ice chunks and cubes in the waves until they were reabsorbed by Lake Superior. The blue skies were reflected in the deep blue surface of the lake with 2-3ft waves with a few brilliant white whitecaps.
Mar 5: Our low overnight was only 25 and our high today 31. Snow began during the early morning hours and continued to around noon. We ended up with about 3 inches of fresh wind blown snow. And the wind was huge during the night and began to taper during the day. Skies have been a gray overcast all day. In the afternoon that snow became a fine freezing mist that has coated most surfaces. Lake Superior is covered with ice sheets as far as we can see. During the morning hours the krinkling sheets created an ice current to the east that has continued all day. Teresa says watching the current move makes her a little dizzy.
Mar 4: We dropped down to 5 again this morning and once again there was a fresh area of ice as far as you could see the morning. Overcast skies has us with only at 27 by mid-afternoon. There are patches of open water and open water currents but most of the fresh ice is still intact this afternoon.
Mar 3: We had a high of 38 yesterday but it only got to 30 today by the lake. Overnight it dropped to 5 above and froze the open water on the lake as far as we could see. However, the partly cloudy skies allowed enough sun to add energy to the lake and break up and absorb that ice plus a good deal of the ice shelf by evening with 2ft waves working at the shelf.
Mar 2: We again had a low of 19 this mornng with partly cloudy skies. The lake has a heavier ice shelf about 50ft from shore. Past that there is a thin new ice sheet that froze during the night on the still lake. The sun feels warm but the breeze is quite cold.
Mar 1: Our low was 19 and our high was 37 yesterday. It felt so good to be outside in the sun with above freezing temperatures. I guess that means that March came in like a lamb so we will need to look forward to it leaving us as a lion. Lake Superior was frozen as far as we could see when we woke with a thin layer of ice that had formed overnight. That ice began moving out leaving open water. Then late morning a layer of thicker ice came for shore before receding in the afternoon leaving an ice shelf close to shore, a band of molten ice betond that and the dark blue 2-3ft waves after that beginning a couple hundred yards from shore.
February 2022
Feb 28: We can hear the krinkling of the ice sheets as they shift and grind against each other this morning. When I went to bed there was only the ice drifts against the shore and open water after that as far as I could see. This morning it is ice as far as I can see with a light snow coming down. Skies are a gray overcast. The air is still. Our low this morning was 14 and the air is humid. The snow is starting to cover the ice turning the lake to white.
Feb 27: We have ripples from the south today on a 3 tone gray surface. Skies are mixed, there are some clouds over the lake, the sun is reflecting off the lake surface in places, skies inland are slightly overcast. We are are at 27 this afternoon after a morning low of 10. The only ice I can see on Lake Superior today id what remains of the ice drift frozen to the shore.
Feb 26: We woke with about 150ft of ice frozen and attached to the shore this morning. With sunrise we had 2-3ft waves pick up from the SE that over the course of 3 hours chewed that solid ice into a molten ice slurry of many sizes undulating along the first 200ft out from shore. Our low this morning was 7 and we have hit an unexpected 37 this afternoon with partly cloudy skies. 37 is by far the warmest temperature we have felt here in Croftville since the thaw we had before Christmas.
Feb 25: Our low this morning was 1 below and our high this afternoon was 23. The lake had a sheet of ice as far as we could see during the night. However, by morning the ice had began to separate away from the shore. We could hear it krinkle as it broke and moved away from the shore. It was a beautiful day with blue skies and sun. Winds picked up later in the afternoon.
Feb 24: We managed to get to 21 yesterday afternoon before plummeting to 3 below this morning in Croftville. There was not as much steam rising off the lake as I would have expected when I woke up. However, the lake was completely still and a thin sheet of ice had formed over much of the surface which drastically reduced the "smoke" rising off the surface. Skies over the land are again clear and a purplish blue. Skies over the lake are mostly cloudy. As the sun begins to add energy into the lake, ripples are beggining to form and the ice sheets are beginning to move with that krinkling sound.
Feb 23: The big lake is still this morning with only ripples on its bluish gray surface. You can see small shards of ice in places on the surface. We have some ice drifts along the shore. The sky is mostly cloudy over the lake and clear blue over the land. We started the day at 1 below and are now up to 10 degrees at noon. The snow and wind are done but there is plenty of shoveling out to do today.
Feb 22: It was zero this morning. We did not finish shoveling yesterday because there was more snow on the way and they were right. The snow began here arounf noon with little wind and just light snow but that has all ramped up once again by nightfall. I would say we have another 4-5" of fresh snow by the time this storm ends later tonght. Lake Superior had limited visibility and the skies overhead are white overcast. The high today was 9 degrees. Waves on Superior beagan as 2ft waves from the SE this morning but have ramped up to 4ft waves by nightfall.
Feb 21: The snow has not arrived yet this morning. We have bluish gray overcast skies and a gray Lake Superior with 2-3ft waves from the SE. Above the lake horizon are dark navy skies. The waves have been chipping away at the ice drifts along the shore which have now receded all nearly all the way back to the rocks. Our low this morning was 4 degrees.
Feb 20: In midafternoon yesterday the waves began building. In about a half hour they grew from 1-2ft waves to 5-6ft waves. Shortly after that the snow began falling and blowing with visibility dropping to about 100yards on the lake. During the night these massive waves and the gale winds pushed and pulverized the ice from the lake into huge ice drifts on the shore cemented together by the freezing spray. By morning we had these massive frozen ice drifts extending 50ft from shore followed by a few hundred feet of molten ice waves pouding and churning the drifts. Our low was 13 this morning and we a brief high of 33 today here along the shore. Once againg we shoveled out the 2" of fresh and hard blown snow just in time for another storm and bitter cold temperatures to arrive tomorrow afternoon.
Feb 19: The ice began to move late morning parallel with the shore creating rivers in the lake. By late afternoon most of the ice was broken up with sheets drifting in open water. Our high yesterday was 30 degrees during the snow storm and gales but it dropped rapidly last night to 3 below before warming quickly this morning and we had 15 by 1pm. There was still about 50ft of ice this morning next to the shore but the small waves from the SE gently chewed away at them. We finished shoveling out from yesterday's storm (another 4 to 5 fresh inches) at 1pm just in time for the next snowstorm expected later this afternoon and through Sunday morning.
Feb 18: It dropped surprisingly to 7 below during the night. During the night I could see the nearly full moon lighting up the nightscape almost like daylight with the snow on the ground except for the stark and eerie shadows. I also heard creaking and cracking of ice as an ice sheet from out on the lake made its way tp the shore and ground into the rocks. This morning the wind and snow began as yet another storm with gale warnings comes through. The ice has now fully arrived and Lake Superior looks like a frozen tundra as far as our eyes can see in the storm.
Feb 17: We woke to 3 below and a still dark blue lake. Steam was rising off the lake surface and joining a cloud mass over the middle of the lake. With the stillness I was expecting to see more ice creation but there are signs of small ice sheets and cubes forming on the surface. Elsewhere, we have clear blue skies and lots of sun. The air is mostly calm for the moment.
Feb 16: There was a bank of ice piled along the shore this morning assembled by waves pushing the ice into the shore. As the day unfolded most of that ice was pulled back into the lake leaving just a small residue on the shore this evenng. Today was also another shoveling day after getting another 3-4" of fresh snow yesterday. Our low this morning was 12 and our high this afternoon was 31. Still not a real thaw but it felt good to feel those warmer temperatures. Lake Superior had 1-2ft blue gray waves from the SE witha mostly overcast sky.
Feb 15: We had a low of 5 this morning after a high of 27 yesterday. There is light snow coming down and heavier snow is predicted later today. Skies are overcast and we have a hazy horizon line out on the lake. Superior has 1-2ft greenish gray waves from the SE.
Feb 14: It is a bit warmer today with a morning low of 6 after a high yesterday of 11 at 7pm. Above the horizon across the lake are dark, dark blue skies in the UP and noerthern Wisconsin. Everywhere else we have blue partly cloudy skies. The lake;s pale blue surface ony has ripples on it this morning. The sun has created a large blinding area or the lake surface from its relections.
Feb 13: Lake Superior is a bright blue with ripples from the SE this morning. It is 7 below this morning and the sun has risen above the dark cloud mass hovering over the middle of the lake making the top of this cloud white. The rising steam off the surface continues to feed the cloud. The calmness of the lake is allowing small ice cubes to form on the lake surface and reflect the sunlight. Everywhere other than over the middle of the lake we have clear blue skies and lots of sun. The breeze is gentle but in these cold temperatures it really bites against your skin. The sun is really accentuating the whiteness of the snow and the blue shadows.
Feb 12: It as bitterly cold this morning with 16 below. Our high this afternoon was only 9 degrees. The steam rose off the lake swirling into the dark cloud mass over the middle of Superior. We had 1-2ft gray waves from the SE with a cold breeze that drove the wind chills down even further. It is a good day to stay inside by a fire.
Feb 11: After a high of 27 during the snowstorm in the early evening, we dropped to 9 degrees this morning. However, the weather last night was not about the temperature but about the 7" of fresh snow and high winds that formed a blizzard with blinding conditions from about 4 to 9pm last night. Today we woke up without falling snow but the tremendous wind gusts could be felt as they pelted against the inn before then blasting into the surface of Lake Superior. You could then watch those gusts as they spread out over the gray and blue surface. There were no waves for about a half mile out from the shore. The powerful winds and even more powerful gusts subdued all waves action close to shore. Further out you could see a line of large waves and whitecaps where the wind as powerful as it was could no longer contain the power of the big lake. Shoveling out from the hard packed drifted snow was made even more difficult by these sustained winds coming off the hill.
Feb 10: Temperature dropped to 5 degrees this morning. The powerful winds from last night had rearranged objects around the resort and depositing snow into crevices and cracks that I didn't even know existed. The wind has died down today and temperatures are currently at 20 at 2pm. Light snow has begun but they are prediciting a snowstorm to begin this afternoon and leave us with another 4 to 8 inches on the ground by the time it ends tomorrow morning. We have 2-3ft blue gray waves with green shadows from the south on Lake Superior. Skies are cloudy and overcast.
Feb 9: We got up at 5am to travel to Giant's Ridge for the sectional nordic ski meet. It was 21 and with fresh blowing snow when we left at 5:30am. It was 21 with fresh blowing snow when we got to Biwabik. It was 21 with fresh and blowing snow while we watched the races with our faces in the wind. It was 21 with fresh and blowing snow when we warmed ourselves inside the car to get away from the snow and wind. It was 21 with fresh and blowing snow as we watched the awards at the end of the day's races. It was 21 with fresh and blowing snow as we travled back to Grand Marais. At times the swirling wind tried to toss our car off the road. And when we returned to Grand Marais at 9pm there was still fresh and blowing snow. However, it was no longer 21 degrees. It was 19.
Feb 8: Our low was a warm 20 degrees this morning and we have warmed up to near freezing this afternoon. The skies were only slightly overcast during the evening allowing me to see the brighter albeit fuzzy starts and planets. Today the white overcast is strong enough that we cannot see the sun. Gitche Gumi has 1-2ft gray waves with green shadows from the SSE against a white horizon line. In spite of no direct sun, it is bright outside and the snow is a bright white.
Feb 7: The low this morning was 4 but there was steam rising off the lake surface and collecting into a dark blue cloud mass over the lake. Usually it has to be below zero for that to happen. I wonder what conditions allowed this at 4 degrees above zero? Lake Superior was gray with 1-2ft waves. Skies were mostly cloudy and overcast and our afternoon high was 24.
Feb 6: The snow has ended and we have somewhere in the range of 5-7" of fresh and blown snow from yesterday's blizzard. This morning we are shoveling out with gray overcast skies and snow flurries coming down. Our low is 14 degrees this morning. Lake Superior has settled down with 1ft greenish gray waves from the south.
Feb 5: The snow began just before daybreak. It has not stopped all day. The plows went by once. The snow is coming down mostly horizontally. The winds are strong and although swirling in all directions, it is mostly coming off the lake. Temperatures have stayed in the teens all day. Lake Superior has 3-5ft blue gray waves with whitcaps from the south with limited visibility of maybe 200ft. The skies have been a bluish gray overcast all day. It is tough to estimate the amount of snow but my best guess is 5 inches.
Feb 4: We climbed to 17 above after a start of 1 below this morning. Although it is cold enough to form ice on the now cooled down Lake Superior, there is just too much wave action for that to happen with 1-2ft blue waves from the SSE. As the sun warmed the air, the cloud mass formed over the lake dissipated and we had mostly blue skies today. The sun really lit up our snow cover making it almost blinding at times.
Feb 3: We have small 6" blue waves from the SSE this morning. Our low was 11 below and our high is expected to be in the single digits today after a high yesterday of 14 here beside the lake. Steam is rising off the surface into the cloudmass that is forming over the lake. The cold temperatures and still water are combining to form thin sheets of ice out on the surface.
Feb 2: Happy Groundhog's Day. Of course, here on the North Shore there is always at least 6 more weeks of winter no matter what the woodchuck sees. Today we have blue skies and sun. Our morning low along the lake was 1 below and it was much colder inland. The lake quieted down this morning and we now have 1ft blue waves from the south. Earlier this morning there was the steam rising off the surface into a cloud but the cloud and steam are both gone now with 8 degrees and sune this afternoon.
Feb 1: We touched 33 degrees momentarily yesterday just flirting with above freezing temperatures before a long gradual fall throughout last night and all day today. We are now at 8 degrees at 10pm and temperautres are expected to continue to fall through the night. I can hear the waves pounding the shore from my office hidden by the black sky. We had light overcast skies all day and we ran into a little falling snow on our ski excursion to Ely today. It would have been comfortable outside if not for the powerful gusts of wind that chilled us to the bone.
January 2022
Jan 31: It is 28 this morning after temperatures rose a bit overnight. Lake Superior is stunning this morning. We have sun shining down at the lake horizon mking the horizon line almost blinding white. Everywhere else we have gray overcast skies. The result is that Lake Superior is a dark metallic gray with silver highlights against that brilliant white horizon. Combine that with the sounds of 3-4ft waves buffeting the shore and the effect is as I have already said, stunning.
Jan 30: We had a low of 8 and a high of 22 today. There was a little sun and a little white overcast. It would have been a perfect day to be out on the trails if we had not been so busy. Tonight we are so far withut stars and the moon is getting close to a new moon so the lake is pitch black and all you can do is hear the 1-2ft waves coming into the rocks.
Jan 29: We woke to single digits this morning and warmed up to 22. We are still at 20 degrees at 9pm. It was snow flurries off the lake for much of the day today. All told, we ended up with 1-2" of accumulation on the ground here in Grand Marais. Skies were a white gray overcast and the lake was a greenish gray. We traveled to Duluth for car shopping and it was fun to see some shelf ice stacked up on shore down by the head of the lake. No accumulating ice yet in Croftville except for the frozen spray on the rocks.
Jan 28: We had 1 below last night but we are warming up and are at 7 degrees at 10am. Lake Superior has 1ft gray waves with silver crests from the south. There is a cloudbank above the lake horizon. Everywhere else we have gray and white overcast skies that feel like snow. The air has just a gentle breeze but that feels like dead still after the tremendous winds and gusts we have had over the past week. I feel more like I am down on the southern Minnesota prairies with all the blowing and drifting snow we have seen this past week.
Jan 27: After a high of 24 last night we woke to 16 degrees this morning with temperatures slowly dropping. The snow ended last night but gusts today are still blowing that new snow around. Lake Superior is a deep blue with 1ft waves coming straight in from the SSE. The horizon is a light blue with a few white clouds over the big lake. The rest of the sky is blue with plenty of sun.
Jan 26: Temps dropped to 8 below last night before warming up to 0 degrees by sunrise. I watched the crescent moon rise in the SE above the cloudmass that had assembled over the lake from the cold temperatures. Just before it rose above the cloud, it was backlighting the top of the cloudmass and almost looked like a lightning storm out on the lake. This morning the skies became a light gray overcast and lake effect snow began to fall as temperatures rise. We are not at 7 degrees at 10am. There are 3-5ft light gray waves pounding the shore from the SE with heavy blowing snow coming down.
Jan 25: The lake was still and cold last night with an overnight low of 9 below on the shore. The sky was clear and the half moon lit up both the lake and the snow on shore. The stillness allowed a thin sheet of ice to form as the steam rose into the cloud mass over the lake that was clearly visible in the moonlight. Ripples from the ESE has broken up the ice now but it doesn't look like we will get to above zero temps today and the steam continues to rise into the cloud mass over the lake that is now illuminted by the bright sun.
Jan 24: Our low was 7 below and our high 12 above today. We had clear skies all day overhead. There was a little cloud cover above the lake horizon once temperatures rose enough to dissipate the cloud mass over the lake from the stean rising in the below zero temps. We have 1ft blue waves with navy shadows coming in from the SSW.
Jan 23: Lake Superior is fairly calm today with 1ft gray waves from the south. It began the day cold, with 7 below and a high this afternoon of 10. Skies are mostly cloudy. There is a breeze which feels cold. This morning the cloud mass over the lake was collecting steam but that cloud mass was absorbed by the other clouds as temps warmed up above zero in the afternoon.
Jan 22: The waves calmed overnight down to 1-2ft blue waves from the south this morning. The sky is blue and clear except for a cloud front of white and gray cumulus clouds over the lake horizon. Temperatures dropped to a low of 7 this morning. I can still hear the winds whistling through the windows. I can see that same wind drifting snow as my son tries to shovel the 1-2" of snow from yesterday morning and the 2-3" of fresh snow we got during the night.
Jan 21: What a day of changes. We woke up to 1-2" of fluffy snow in the eary morning hours after a night of moon light and shadows. The snow brought with it warm temperatures and it was 10 degrees when I got up and the air was still. Then the winds pick up, the fresh snow begins to drift, and the temperature falls while we were watching a high school ski race up at Pincushion Trails. It was a beautiful day but the changing winds and falling temps made it challenging. Then the skies begin to cloud over and the temperatures rise into the 20's and the wind gets even stronger. As we come back down to the shore, Lake Superior has 5-6ft turquoise blue waves with amazing whitecaps just pounding the shore like a bass drum. By 5pm the snow began and we were at the day's high of 23 degrees. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings but I hope it isn't shoveling.
Jan 20: Gitche Gumi got still and silent during the night. Skies were clear and the almost full moon lit up the nightscape. Shadows from the moon are so beautiful. This morning we have sunny blue skies except for the dark cloud mass forming over the lake. The steam rises into the cloud and the stillness and the 11 below temperatures are allowing thin sheets of ice to form on the surface. Those sheet of ice will get reabsorbed as soon as we get any wave action later today.
Jan 19: The snow ended around 4-5pm yesterday but the winds continued right into this morning with lots of drifts and blowing snow. Today is a shoveling day. Temps dropped from a high of 32 yesterday during the snowstorm down to 6 degrees at 8am. Temperatures are expected to continue to fall through most of the day. Lake Superior has 2-3ft blue gray roller waves coming straight in from the SSE. You can see the gusts of wind hit the lake and move out on its surface. Those gusts are probably subduing the size of our waves near the shore. Skies are cloudy this morning with no direct sun.
Jan 18: The snow began between 4 and 5am today. It is coming down at a good clip and the winds are swirling it in every direction and around every corner. I am guessing we have 4-5 new inches of snow on the ground but with the wind blowing it around it is hard to tell. It is 28 at 1pm after it dropped to 10 above before the snow began. Lake Superior has 4-5ft blue green waves breaking well before the shore and hitting the rocks. You can hear the rocks grinding against themselves as the water recedes back into the lake.
Jan 17: Although our temps were in the teens today, it felt much colder with all the humidty in the air. We traveled to Duluth to replace a refrigerator. Roads were icy in the early morning but became just wet once the salt could do its work. Skies were white overcast today. It looked like it could snow but they say the snow is not expected until tomorrow. It was funny seeing ice on the lake and in the harbor down in Duluth. We are too exposed here to have any ice other than the spray freezing on the rocks on the shore.
Jan 16: We had a low of 17 and a high of 24 today. We woke up to 2-3" of fresh snow and added perhaps another inch in the afternoon. The waves when I woke up were pounding the shore with 4-5ft height and loud whitecaps breaking from the south. Skies today were a white overcast with some small breaks in the cloud cover over the lake.
Jan 15: The days of January continue to race by. Today the last ship entered the Duluth Harbor and the shipping season has ended. Maintenance on the Soo Locks now begins. The overnight low was 4 below and our high for today will end up in the lower 20's. We have had light snow during the afternoon (less than an inch of big fluffy flakes). Skies are a blusih gray overcast. Kitche Gami has 2-3ft blue green waves from the south against a white horizon sky.
Jan 14: After a high of 27 yesterday, temps dropped steadily throught the evening and early morning to 1 below this morning before rebounding to 8 this afternoon befor again starting a slide back to below zero. Skies were partly cloudy today except over the big lake were a dark cloud mass began forming with steam rising off the lake surface.
Jan 13: At noon we have 6" gray waves from the SE on a textured surface and blinding reflections of the sun off the lake surface. Skies are partly cloudy over the lake on mostly sunny over the land. It is 26 degrees at noon after a morning low in the upper teens. The sun is making stark shadows in the snow cover and there is a breeze that is whistling through our double hung windows.
Jan 12: Our low this morning was only 9 above and we are at 20 degrees here at noon. Skies are a white overcast. The air is mostly still. We have 1ft gray waves from the SE brushing the shore. There is a narrow band of dark navy skies above the lake horizon. After that the cloudy white skies turn to a white overcast as we get closer to shore.
Jan 11: After dropping down to 9 below late last night, it began warming and was 12 degrees by sunrise. Our high this afteroon was 23 degrees here in Croftville. We journeyed to a CC ski meet in Two Harbos today. It was a bit colder inland where the meet was held and the breeze was biting cold. There was plenty of sun today with 1-2ft blue waves on the big lake. It was really noticable waking up and not seeing the big dark cloud mass over the lake that had developed over the cold spell.
Jan 10: Brrrh. It was 12 below this morning by the lake here in Croftville. That's about as cold as it gets when Lake Superior is unfrozen. Once the lake freezes, then the temperatures down by the shore are the same as the inland temperatures. The skies over land are clear blue. The sun has blinding reflections off the lake surface. Lake Superior has 1-2ft silver blue waves from the south. It is still 5 below at noon. Steam continues to rise off the lake making little twisters as they rise into the large cloud mass forming over the middle of the lake.
Jan 9: It cooled down overnight to 1 below, made it into the single digits, and then cooled back to below zero temps by late afternoon. The winds gusts were powerful last night and continued to show off their strength today. Lake Superior has 2-3ft blue waves with green shadows from the south today. There has been partly sunny skies most of the day. However, over the lake a dark cloud mass is growing with the "sea fog" rising off the warm surface.
Jan 8: Temps warmed overnight and was 22 degrees by 7am. We climber to 26 degrees for the day. The big story today was the wind. Combine that with about 3-4" of fresh snow overnight and we had to deal with hard drifts of snow here along the shore. Lake Superior was a greeenish gray with thunderous 3-4ft waves. I saw 2 ore freighters during the night. The shipping season must be coming to a close soon for them to do maintenance work on the Soo locks.
Jan 7: It was 6 below this morning after a high yesterday of 11. Lake Superior has 2ft steel blue waves from the south. There is a dark blue cloud mass over the lake this morning with curliques of steam rising off the surface. The rest of the sky is a white overcast with snow flurries once we jumped up above zero. The wind is whistling through the double hung windows in our inn. I think I will stay inside and warm.
Jan 6: The wind and gusts are gone today. Our morning low was 4 below and our high was 11 above down by the shore in Croftville. No sun today with light gray overcast skies. There is a dark band of clouds just above the horizon with a white break above that before the gray overcast sky.
Jan 5: It is a windy cold day with temps dropping during the day after some snow fell last night. The wind makes it tough to tell how much snow we got with all the blowing snow but it was probably 3 to 4 inches here in Grand Marais. We are at 5 degrees now at 3pm. Lake Superior has 3-4ft roller waves from the SE. Closer to shore the waves are gray, further out the waves are blue green. The horizon sky is light gray. Overhead we have overcast gray skies.
Jan 4: We have 2-3ft bluish gray waves from the SE this morning that take on a greenish tint close to the shore when they are breaking. Skies are cloudy and overcast today. The skies look like snow but non has come down. We dropped to 5 overnight after a high yesterday of 20 with lots of sun. It doesn't look like we will see any sun today, but it is already 18 at 11am.
Jan 3: It is a little warmer today with temps warming up over the night. It was 10 when we woke up and it is 20 at 2pm. We have light blue 2ft waves from the south with silver highlights. The skies have some haze and clouds but there is plenty of sun reflecting off the lake and the snow covered land.
Jan 2: We have clear blue skies with a purplish tint this morning. Our high yesterday was 10 which was just enough to make cross country skiing comfortable. Our low this morning was 7 below. Lake Superior only has 6" blue roller waves from the SSE on a textured surface. With the cold we have the "sea smoke" rising off the surface. That seems to be the new popular description for the steam rising off the surface in small curlicues in the extreme cold. There is a dark cloud mass forming over the lake but there is lots of sunshine. Tha air is still. I almost think I can see small cubes of ice forming out on the lake but it seems too early for that happening considering how warm we have been overall this fall and winter. If that texture I am seeing on the lake surface is ice forming, I will know in a couple days if the lake remains fairly calm.
Jan 1: It was 7 below this morning to start out 2022. Our high was 14 around 2pm before plummeting once again into the below zero realm. There was plenty of sun today and cross country skiing was almost perfect conditions this afternoon up on Pincushion Mountain. The setting sun in the SW was pink against the cloudbanks. Lake Superior was a bright blue and almost completely calm.