December 2024
Dec 31: We end 2024 just below the freezing mark with a low of 27 and a high of 31. Above the horizon line across the lake today was a dark navy band of sky perhaps with some snow in Northern Wisconsin. Lake Superior was a monochrome blue gray with just 1ft waves from the SE. The air was mostly still. The skies overhead were a dark gray overcast and we end the year without any sun today.
Dec 30: Our overnight low was 27 and our high today was 35. Although sun was able to pop out once in a while, the day was mostly gray overcast once again. Lake Superior was a dark blue monochrome with only ripples from the SE. They are saying this was our last day of above freezing temps for the next week. Let's see if the New Year brings us back snow and winter.
Dec 29: We dropped below freezing last night to 29 degrees. The freezing rain created a quarter inch sheet of ice on the car this morning. However, the sun was out for a while and quickly heated things up to our high of 39. The muscles in my back have finally loosened up and I got to enjoy walking the property today. The air was still. The snow in shaded areas remained crusty whereas the snow in the sunny areas was soft. Lake Superior has 2ft blue waves from the SE with a gray horizon line.
Dec 28: The air is still here in Croftville. We have gray overcast skies and light rain. We dropped to 37 during the night, rose to 41 this morning, and am staying steady at 39 degrees this afternoon. Lake Superior is a shade darker monochrome gray than the sky with 2ft waves from the SE Our snow cover continues to melt away with most roads, sidewalks, and rooves now free of any snow.
Dec 27: It has been raining or drizzling all day long. The rain is really melting our snow cover. Overnight the low was 33 and our temperature has stayed steady at 39 degrees most of the day which is our current temp and high. Skies are a dark gray overcast. Lake Superior is a blue monochrome with 2-3ft waves from the south.
Dec 26: We have gray overcast skies down by the lake in Croftville today. There is a wind and it was lightly snowing with just a dusting this morning. It was 30 when I awoke but it is now 34 and probably too warm for any more snow. Lake Superior has 2-3ft dark blue waves from the south with translucent blue shadows as the waves break at the shore.
Dec 25: Merry Christmas 2025. Here in Croftville temps are steady. On Christmas Eve temps continued to rise and were 31 degrees at midnight. It is 31 degrees now. Skies are a heavy gray overcast. You can feel the humidity un the air. Lake Superior has 2ft blue waves with dark gray shadows from the south. Looks like we are on our way for a thaw over the next few days.
Dec 24: Lake Superior has been a gray overcast all day. We have 2-3ft blue gray waves from the south breaking into the shore with a few whitecaps that we can see further out. Our high today is 29 and our low was in the mid 20's.
Dec 23: With a low of 25 and a high of 28 the gray overcast skies kept conditions quite steady. We had occasional snow flurries but no measurable accumulation. Lake Superior has 2-3ft grayish blue waves from the SSE.
Dec 22: It is a warm 25 degrees this morning. At sunrise there were clear skies briefly but quickly a dark gray overcast has taken over. Lake Superior has 3-4ft grayish blue waves from the SSE with forest green shadows breaking into the shore. During the night Teresa saw 3 freighters all lit up passing by the resort.
Dec 21: We woke up to 6 below in Stewartville but here next to the shore in Croftville was slightly milder with just 1 below. By the time we got to Duluth it was 14 degrees and by the time we rolled into Croftville at 7pm we were up to 19. I suspect temps will continue to rise slowly overnight. It was good to see the dark blue lake as we topped Thompson Hill and began our descent into Duluth. Bentleyville was all lit up and the traffic to the lightshow was horrendous as we passed by. Teresa loved seeing a couple freighters with Christmas trees attached to their command houses.
Sec 20: We left Grand Marais early before dawn to retrieve Rosie from Saint Paul and take Christmas presents to Stewartville for Aubrey and family. It was 1 above when we left and as we traveled south the temps stayed stubbornly in the single digits no matter where we traveled. Joey stayed home to run the resort.
Dec 19: Lake Superior has 2-3ft gray waves from the SE. The sky is a light gray overcast with snow flurries. The lake horizon is fuzzy but visible. Our low overnight was 4 degrees but by the time I got up it was already 11 degrees. Currently we are at 19 degrees at noon. We are expecting a band of snow later today that is currently falling in southern Minnesota.
Dec 18: We have blue and partly cloudy skies today after a dusting of snow during the night. Lake Superior has 2ft dark blue waves from the south. Our low was 15 in the early afternoon after a high of 24 in the early morning hours.
Dec 17: Our above freezing temps ended shortly after midnight as the water on the sidewalks and roads froze. This morning we woke up to 27 and it has stayed 27 uniformly all day. Skies are a mixture of gray, white, and blue but I have yet to see a speck of sun today. Above the lake horizon we have navy blue skies with clouds above that, perhaps snow on the UP. Lake Superior is a blue gray with 2-3ft waves coming straight in from the SSE. The air is still, it feels like snow but we have only had a few flurries.
Dec 16: The temperature stayed at 37 degrees all night and went up to a high of 37 this afternoon. Currently we are at 34 at 10pm. Lake Superior has 2-3ft blue waves from the SSE with black shadows. Skies are overcast with a rainy mist coming down which is quickly melting our snow pack.
Dec 15: I left Prior Lake this morning with 34 degrees and freezing fog. Those conditions continued through Two Harbors. After that we had 36-38 degrees with a little mist coming down until Lutsen. It was funny to see above freezing temps for the first time since before Thanksgiving. The snow and ice was melting on our driveways and sidewalks. Our high today was 38. Lake Superior has 2-3ft dark blue waves coming in straight from the SSE.
Dec 14: Left before sunrise to travel to Faribault for the funeral for my childhood friend, Bill. It was 17 when I left with light snow on the pavement until I got out of Cook County. By the time I was south of Duluth temps were around freezing. A freezing mist or rain began around Northfield and by the time I entered Faribault it was 36 and sleet. That continued through the funeral and interment. Goodbye, my dear friend.
Dec 13: It was another cold night with 1 below but temps have been slowly rising all day. We are to 17 already at 1pm. Lake Superior again has 1-2ft gray blue waves from the south. Skies are a light gray overcast with snow flurries. The little steam whirlwinds were present this morning but it is now too warm for them to form on the lake surface.
Dec 12: It was the coldest night of the season with 8 below this morning and a high of 3 above in midafternoon. Winds were ferocious with tremendous gusts changing the drafts on our fireplaces. Lake Superior has 2ft grayish blue waves from the south this morning with black shadows and silver highlights. Skies were overcast as we watched steam rise from the lake into a cloud mass developing over the lake.
Dec 11: We woke up to 19 this morning and temperatures have been declining slowly ever since. We are currently at 5 degrees at 5pm. Today was spent snow blowing and shoveling the 8 inches of crusty new snow from the wet snow of Sunday and Monday. There was a layer of snow and ice frozen to every outdoor surface. Luck for us there was no substantial wind this morning which made it possible to work but the winds really picked up later in the afternoon. Lake Superior was a dark gray against a gray sky and constant snow flurries. We had small waves from the south and our first sea smoke of the winter when temps dropped into single digits this afternoon.
Dec 10: We began the day by taking down the bed we were sleeping in and packing it from prior Lake to Hamline in our trailer. We said goodbyes to Mom, sorted some more of her belongings, and dropped off the bed to Cecelia Rose between two of her final exams. We were on the road heading out of Saint Paul by 1pm with the temp of 27. By the time we got to Cambridge it was 21 degrees and that is where it stayed all the way to Grand Marais. It was good to see Duluth again but Lake Superior was pretty much invisible with gray overcast skies and almost no visibility out on the lake.
Dec 9: Grand Marais ended up with 8-10 inches of wet snow before snow finally tapered off midday. On our checklist today was meeting with our tax accountant in Faribault and then dropping another load from my mom's townhouse in my brother's shed. We then returned to Prior Lake and found a donation center for Mom's sectional couch and a few other household items.
Dec 8: It was not warm today in southern Minnesota with temps only in the 40's today. However, I found our heavy lake effect snow is falling in Grand Marais. We had a busy day loading furniture Mom will not use in her apartment and transporting it int our trailer to my brother's shed in Faribault. We returned to load another trailer and discard some worn out furniture.
Dec 7: We woke up to 32 degrees in Prior Lake this morning. We sorted and moved items out of the lower level as my Mom prepared to sell her townhouse. We then headed to Morristown for a Chmelik Christmas reunion and potluck. I got to see my dad's 6 remaining siblings, their spouses, and some of my cousins. From there we headed for Rochester with 58 degrees outside. My sister was hosting a baby shower for my niece. Afterwards I drove my mom back to Prior Lake.
Dec 6: Today we left early for a 5-day trip to southern Minnesota. It is one of those checklist trips with all these tasks that need to be taken care of. Today we checked off the water well sample dropped off in Burnsville, pizza dinner with Mom in Prior Lake, and Augsburg Advent Vespers at Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis. It was 27 when we left Grand Marais and it was 43 when we got to Prior Lake.
Dec 5: Today was a day of snow blowing and shoveling. Luckily for us it warmed up overnight and our morning low was 19 and our high was in the upper 20's in the afternoon. This made our outdoor work pleasant particularly with the absence of a wind.
Dec 4: Our high today was 28 degrees at midnight. It has been steadily dropping since then. We currently are at 12 degrees at 9pm. It snowed on and off all day, Since yesterday all told we had about 5 inches from the storm down by the shore. It is so hard to tell with all the wind gusts that keep moving the snow around. And it is always hard to tell with winds out of the north blowing into the lake just how much snow gets reabsorbed by Lake Superior. It was interesting watching those gusts spread out on the blue gray lake surface. Lake Superior waves were coming into shore from the SE with 1-2ft waves. Even the winds today couldn't completely subdue the waves near the shore like the north wind usually does.
Dec 3: Our morning low was 19 after a high of 29 yesterday. It looked like it was snowing across the lake with the dark navy skies under large cumulus clouds. About noon we began having snow come down. At 1pm we have accumulated about a half inch. I am guessing we are already at our high for the day at 25 degrees. Looks like this light snow has no sign of stopping which could result in several inches. Lake Superior is a metallic gray with 1-2ft waves from the south and navy shadows.
Dec 2: Our morning low was 19. The wind has backed off but is still present but it nfeels cold out there. This could be a day in January. Lake Superior is a grayish blue with 102ft waves from the south. Freighters continue passing by during the night all lit up. It is not uncommon to see 2 freighters out there at once. Teresa said she woke up to 3 freighters once last night.
Dec 1: It is a windy and gusty day here in Croftville. We can watch the gusts hit the surface of Lake Superior and spread out over the lake. Lake Superior has a gray surface with black shadows and white highlights. There are some ripples with not distinct direction. The wind hitting the lake off the hill is subduing any real wave action on our shore. Our low was 19 after a high of 27 yesterday. Skies are mixed with patches of gray overcast, patches of blue, and bands of cumulus clouds over the lake horizon.
November 2024
Nov 30: The sky looks like snow today although there is none in the forecast. cloudy and white overcast skies with almost no breaks. Our low this morning was 15 after a high of only 25 yesterday. Lake Superior continues to have 1ft bluish gray waves from the SSW. We had strong winds and even stronger gusts last night topping over garbage and recycling bins, knocking off the tops on the bird feeders, and flipping off our sign placards. It was too cold and windy to go to the "Oh, Ole Night" parade last night in Grand Marais. We went and had Sven and Ole's Pizza instead.
Nov 29: We had a dusting of snow overnight as our string of ore freighters continue their trek along the North Shore. Yesterday we even got to see a saltie Johanna from Portugal go by. Our low this morning was 23 after a high yesterday afternoon of 27. Sure seems like winter has settled in. Lake Superior is a dark bluish gray with 1ft waves from the oblique angle of the SSW. There is a steady wind. Skies are a gray combination of overcast and clouds.
Nov 28: Happy Thanksgiving. It is a cold morning with a low of 22 after a high yesterday of 32. All night the ore freighters were passing by. When they are as frequent as they are at this time of the year, you can watch them and it is almost like counting sheep to get you back to sleep. Lake Superior is a grayish blue with 1ft waves from the south. The bank of clouds perched over the horizon is the sign of lake effect snow over in northern Wisconsin and the UP. We have sun right now but there are patches of gray overcast that may be on its way.
Nov 27: Every time I woke up during the night there was an ore freighter passing by all lit up. This morning our low is 24 degrees. The air is still here along the lake. Overhead we have blue skies but as we pan to the lake horizon there are scattered cumulus clouds and then a huge dark navy bank of clouds in the UP. It looks like they may be clobbered with lake effect snow. Lake Superior has 1ft silver blue waves on a textured surface from the south. Today we will pack the snow in our driveways to prepare the driveways for the snowblower without throwing the driveway rocks.
Nov 26: It felt like winter today. Our low was 23 and our high 32 in the early afternoon before beginning to drop back into the 20's by late afternoon. It was snowing this morning again but only about an additional inch of accumulation getting us to 5-6" over that past 2 days. It looks like winter with the snow on the ground and the bleak white overcast skies. There were a couple times today that it looked like we could see a little sun over the lake as the clouds tried to break up. Lake Superior was a dark blue gray with 1-2ft waves from the SE.
Nov 25: We had our first real snow of the season beginning last night. By morning we had about 2 inches of fluffy snow. By tonight we had about 4" of wet sticky snow total. Our low this morning was 30 and our high and our temp for most of the day was 34 here beside the lake. Skies were white overcast with very limited visibility. Lake Superior was a dark gray against that white sky. There were 1-2ft waves from the SE and a gentle breeze.
Nov 24: After a high of 37 yesterday we had a low of 27 overnight. At 12 noon we are only at 30 degrees. This is certainly the coldest day we have seen this fall. Lake Superior has brownish gray 1ft waves from the SE. You can see a storm across the lake in the UP but overhead we have gray overcast skies. The wind makes it feel extra cold.
Nov 23: Lake Superior is gray this morning with 1ft waves from the SSW with silver highlights. Skies are cloudy with bands of cumulus clouds with sunlight trying to pop through in places but not completely successful. We saw many freighters passing by all lit up during the night. Our low this morning was 31 degrees and we are still at 36 degrees at 11am. It looks like it will be a cold day especially with the wind whistling through our double-hung windows.
Nov 22: Our low was 36 this morning and our high was 44. We traveled to Duluth today toting our covered trailer behind for one of those dreaded big box store shopping trips. It was a cloudy day along the shore but with good visibility and a gray Lake Superior. We saw several freighters journeying to and from Duluth.
Nov 21: The winds this morning were outrageous. Reports of gusts over 50mph were on the local radio. You could watch those gusts slam into the lake and then spread out over the lake surface. Lake Superior was a deep blue with 2-3ft waves even though the tremendous winds were doing their best to subdue them close to our shore. Our low was 37 and our high was 46.
Nov 20: Our low today was 40 and our high was 46. Lake Superior had 2-3ft bluish gray waves from the south. Skies were a light gray overcast. The air is mostly still.
Nov 19: It was an entire day of rain. It began during the night around 11pm and it finally ended I think around 4pm. At times the rain was coming down in sheets. Other times the rain pelted you horizontally as it swept into you with the gusts of strong winds. I haven't seen any flooding but I have certainly seen plenty of culverts that cannot keep up with the runoff. Lake Superior had immense 4-6ft waves from the south pounding the shoreline. They were mostly green with huge whitecaps. However, closer to shore you could see dark brown shadows from the runoff and the churning of the lakebed. Our low was 43 this morning and our high was 47.
Nov 18: Lake Superior has 1ft slightly purple waves with dark gray shadows from the SE this afternoon. Skies are a gray overcast. The air is mostly still. Our high this afternoon was 47 after a morning low of 32. It feels so good to be back home after a busy weekend in southern Minnesota.
Nov 17: We traveled back to Grand Marais today after saying goodbye to family in Stewartville this morning, visiting with my mom for a while in Prior Lake, and dropping our daughter back off at Hamline. Temperatures were hovering in the 50's this morning and climbed nearly to 60 between Saint Paul and Duluth. However, by the time we were along the North Shore we were at 32 a little away from the lake and the mid 30's right next to the lake. We came over Thompson Hill shortly before sunset and could see the dark blue Lake Superior hovering above the Saint Louis River and the Duluth skyline.
Nov 16: The wind began blowing on the prairie at 8am and didn't let up all day. However, temps stayed moderate in the 40's and 50's. We recalled many fond memories of my mother-in-law when she visited us in Grand Marais at her memorial.
Nov 15: We headed south this morning for SE Minnesota and a small family memorial service for my mother-in-law, Ginny. It was a warm trip starting in the 40's in Grand Marais and ending with the 60's by the time we got to Stewartville. It was so funny to see that there are still a few trees holding onto their leaves in Saint Paul, Rochester, and Stewartville. In particular, some of the oaks, maples, and basswoods. As the sun was setting in the west, we were able to see the full moon rising in the east. What a strange sight until the un finlly sank below the horizon.
Nov 14: It was a warm mid November day with a low of 42 and a high of 48 with light overcast cloud cover most of the day. Lake Superior was a bluish gray with 1-2ft waves. The air was still.
Nov 13: It was a mostly light overcast day today. There was a little mist later in the afternoon. Our low was 33 and our high was 45. Lake Superior was gray with 1ft waves. It was a hard day today. Our plans for expanding our resort to make it more livable and sustainable as we grow older were scuttled today by neighbors and the Board of Adjustment. Don't know what to say other than it may be the end of our journey to live our dream. Hard decisions may be on the way.
Nov 12: It dropped to 28 late last night and then began warming up in the early morning hours. We are at 37 degrees this morning at 7am. Skies are partly cloudy with about half isolated clouds and half blue skies. There is a crisp horizon line with a white band of sky above and a dark blue lake below. Lake Superior has 1-2ft waves from the SSE with black shadows. The air is still this morning.
Nov 11: We had an amazing wind storm this morning with gusts in Grand Marais of 68mph. The wind lasted around 2 hours but in that time toppled many trees resulting in widespread power outages. Here in Croftville we were out of power for almost 8 hours. Lake Superior was metallic blue with white whitecaps and black shadows. During the windstorm waves grew to 4-5ft. An ore freighter passed by close to the shore probably only 2-3 miles out. Our low was 34 this morning. Our high was 48. At 7pm we are back to our morning low of 34 degrees.
Nov 10: It is heavily overcast today. We have gray skies and a gray lake. Lake Superior has 1ft waves from the SE. We have had bouts of light rain through the day. Our low and high were 42 and 48 respectively.
Nov 9: They had predicted rain today but it never came. We had some clouds but most of the day we had mostly sunny skies. Our high was 49 after a low of 32 this morning. Lake Superior was blue with 1-2ft waves from the south. Air was mostly still.
Nov 8: I watched a freighter all lit up pass by the resort last night as I lay in bed on the northern route across Lake Superior coming from Duluth. This morning we have 36 degrees and clear blue skies. The sky is white just above the lake horizon. The sun has blinding white reflections on the blue lake surface. We have 1-2ft waves from the south and the air this morning is still.
Nov 7: It was a spectacular late fall day today with a high of 48, cloudless blue skies, and a bold wind off the lake. We began the day with a low of 36 degrees. Lake Superior grew waves of 4-5ft from the south in the afternoon. They were a metallic blue with whitecaps everywhere and striking dark navy shadows.
Nov 6: It was a sunny November day and a great day to spend outside. Unfortunately, I am stuck inside fighting off a cold. Our low this morning was 35 and our high this afternoon was 49. Lake Superior was blue. The sky overhead was blue, The lake horizon was white. The air was still.
Nov 5: We had steadily gray overcast skies today which usually means a narrow temperature band which is exactly what we got. Our low was 43 and our high was 47. Lake Superior was a dark gray with just ripples on the surface from the south. It felt like it would rain all day long but only got a little light rain right before sunset at 5pm.
Nov 4: It was raining hard last night with strong winds from the SE driving 3-4ft waves. By this morning the wind was gone and we had 42 for our low. It rained all day today (hard at times) with overcast gray skies. Our high for the afternoon was 49. Lake Superior had 2ft gray waves from the SE.
Nov 3: Once again it cooled down to 34 during the night but warmed up quickly this morning with 42 degrees at 8am. Skies are blue with high stringy and thin white clouds in places. The sun is bright with blinding reflections off the lake surface. Lake Superior has 1-2ft blue waves from the SE with dark green shadows. I watched a freighter all lit up pass by in the night. I see our pavement and sidewalks are wet so we had a little rain sometime while I was sleeping.
Nov 2: It cooled down to 32 degrees during the night before beginning to warm up in the early morning hours while it was raining. I woke up to 40 degrees with light rain. Lake Superior has pewter gray waves from the SE with brownish shadows. Skies are overcast except for a thin light band right above the horizon. Skies may be clear over the Upper Peninsula.
Nov 1: November enters with a 29 degree low and a high of 41. Lake Superior had 2ft blue waves. We had partly cloudy skies at sunset making a beautiful white and blue sky with blinding reflections.
October 2024
Oct 31: We ended October with about 5-10 minutes of a snow/rain mix. Our low today was 37 tonight as we watched temps drop from the mid 40's this morning into the high 30's this afternoon. Lake Superior had 2ft dark blue waves against a light gray overcast sky.
Oct 30: Our low this morning is a very warm 46. It is hard to believe we have a possibility of snow tomorrow. It is lightly raining this morning with dark gray overcast skies. The exception is on the lake horizon which is white with fairer weather across the lake. That white horizon is striking against the dark grayish blue lake that has 1ft roller waves from the SE. We could see the sun just briefly as it rose above the horizon but before it rose into the dark overcast. I don't expect to see the sun again today.
Oct 29: We saw lightning during the night to the south over the lake. The lake was so loud with its 3-4ft waves from the SSE that I never could hear the thunder so I am not sure how far away the storm was. What I know is that it never got here. Today we had overcast gray skies and mostly still air. Our low this morning was a warm 44 for late October and our high this afternoon was 56. Lake Superior calmed down a bit come morning with 1-2ft blue waves from the SE.
Oct 28: Our low was a remarkably warm 44 degrees this morning. I spent the entire day sitting on a roof shingling my new canoe shelter. It was a little windy at times. Gitche Gami had 1-3ft blue gray waves from the SSE making it hard to hear my son or the radio as those waves buffeted our shore. Our afternoon high was 54 degrees and the days are getting noticeably shorter. It was pitch dark at 6:45 when we got done shingling.
Oct 27: It was a sunny fall day here along Lake Superior with a low of 41 and a high of 48. The winds began to pick up later in the day making it feel much colder. Lake Superior has 2-3ft blue waves with a textured surface from the SE banging into the shore making it hard to hear people talking outside.
Oct 26: Our overnight low by the lake was 31 today with a heavy frost this morning. It was a gorgeous chilly fall day in Croftville where we hosted a wedding for our guests today with a fire while overlooking the lake on a sunny and still day. The afternoon high was 48 and Lake Superior was a deep blue against a blue cloudless sky.
Oct 25: After some rain during the night, we woke up to 43 and overcast. However, skies cleared and then were mixed for the day. When the sun was out it felt warm. When cloud cover overtook us, it felt cold. Our high was 56. Rain came back about 5pm and the mixture of rain and sun produced some amazing rainbows to the east. Lake Superior had 1-2ft waves whose colors changed as often as the skies overhead today.
Oct 24: We could see rain to our south across Lake Superior but it just never seemed to make it up here to us until finally at 7pm. It is a light steady rain and is only expected to last until about midnight. The low this morning was 35 and our high 53 here next to the lake. It was outright cold with a breeze and clouds but it felt warm when the sun was out. Lake Superior was bluish gray with 1-2ft waves and a textured surface.
Oct 23: Our low is 39 this morning. We can see bands of clouds between patches of blue skies. Lake Superior is light blue with navy shadows on a textured surface with the sun shining on it. There are small roller waves from the south. Today would have been my Grampa Joe's 120th birthday. It was always his goal to make it to 120 years old but fell short by 30 years.
Oct 22: It was a great evening to sit on our covered porch warming ourselves with the woodstoves. The air was mostly still. Lake Superior had 1-2ft waves. We watched storm fronts pass or just miss our area throughout the day. Finally, at 5pm the gentle rain began and stayed with us for several hours. Our low was 50 in the morning and our high was 59. We traveled to Duluth and were delighted to see peak color down there and temperatures in the 70's up on the hill. We are now well past peak but the color is still beautiful.
Oct 21: It was a beautiful fall day that started with a heavy dew that the sun evaporated by about 10am. Our low was 47 and our high was 60 here by the lake in Croftville. Gitche Gami had 1ft blue roller waves from the SSE against a white horizon sky that blended to blue as you glance upwards from the horizon.
Oct 20: We had a low of 44 this morning and a high of 58 today. The air was still. Lake Superior has 1-2ft blue waves once the heavy overcast of this morning burned off. It was a gorgeous blue and pink sunset as cloudbanks began to move in at dusk.
Oct 19: We got a little rain overnight and this morning. Skies are a dark gray overcast. The air is still. My estimate is half the leaves have fallen from the trees here near the shore. Lake Superior is a monochrome light gray with 1-2ft roller waves from the SSE. After a high of 62 yesterday, we had a warm 50 degree low this morning.
Oct 18: The full moon lit up the lake surface last night. The waves from the SSE grew overnight with 2-3ft gray waves pounding into the shore this morning. Skies have enough sun coming through to create shadows but they are hazy and with high thin clouds. Our low this morning was 36 and we are into the mid 50's at 1pm.
Oct 17: Our low this morning was 32 and our high was 59. There was frost on the rooves this morning. Lake Superior has blue 1ft waves coming straight in from the SSE. There was plenty of sun with a little bit of high clouds passing by.
Oct 16: This morning was our first below freezing temperature for this fall at 31 degrees down on the Croftville Road. the air is expected to warm up quickly and should get warmer than yesterday's high of 51 degrees. Skies are a light blue with a few bands of high wispy clouds especially near the lake horizon. Sunrise was stunning this morning with an orange band separated by a cloudbank next to a yellow band separated by a cloudbank next to the blue skies. Lake Superior has a blue textured surface with navy shadows and 1ft waves from the south.
Oct 15: The overcast skies dissipated during the night. We have woke up to partly cloudy skies with strings of cumulus clouds separated by blue. It is good to see the sun after 2 full days of overcast and much needed rain. Our low overnight was 33 degrees after a high of only 44 yesterday. There is a thick layer of frost on the rooves of the cottages. The big lake is silver gray with brown shadows with 1ft roller waves from the SE on a textured surface. The air is still but many of our leaves have fallen due to the rain and wind from the last 2 days.
Oct 14: The rain returned in the early morning hours. Skies are dark overcast except in the SE where we can see some cloud cover with a few lighter breaks. Lake Superior is a dark bluish gray with 1-2ft roller waves from the SE. The low this morning is 41 degrees and will likely stay close to this temp through the day.
Oct 13: Lake Superior waves swelled to 3-5ft during the night. The lake is green with a few bluish hints as you move out further from shore. The waves are pounding the shore and rocks from the SE. It began raining around midnight and has been a steady rain all night continuing into the morning. Skies are gray overcast and the wind is whipping the treetops. Our low and current temperature at 10am is 42.
Oct 12: We woke to a calm Lake Superior with only ripples on its blue surface against a white horizon line and blue skies overhead. We had a low of 44 along the lake and a high of 58. Overcast skies moved in mid-afternoon and there are predictions of significant rain during the night.
Oct 11: It was a much warmer night with a 52 degree low and a warmer day today with 68. It looks like this weekend will be peak color for inland Cook County but close to the lake our peak may have already past. Right along the lake fall color has been fairly lackluster with mostly browns and yellows and very few reds, oranges, and golds we come to expect. It could be due to our extreme dryness or the warm temps we had for September. Lake Superior today had 2ft blue metallic waves hitting the shore and plenty of sun for this warm October day.
Oct 10: Lake Superior was mostly sunny today but clouds began bringing us cloudy and overcast skies late in the afternoon. We began at 40 and rose up to 59. Most of Minnesota warmed up into the 70's and 80's today leaving Cook County all by itself in the 50's. Lake Superior has 1-3ft blackish blue waves from the SE banging the rocks as the day ends.
Oct 9: There was frost on the cottage rooves this morning. The low was 35 and the high 54. Lake Superior was surprisingly calm today with just ripples on the blue surface. At dusk we have 49 degrees and light blue skies with a few white jet streams crossing the sky. Lake Superior is a pale blue with a narrow navy band at the lake horizon. Above the band is a wider band of purple sky that turns into a white band that then turns to the main light blue sky.
Oct 8: It was a cold morning, it was a cold day, and it is a cold evening. Our low was 42, our high was 59, and we are back to 50 degrees at 6pm. However, as a crisp fall day it was beautiful. Clear blue skies, a bright sun, and a bold blue lake with 1-2ft waves from the south with navy shadows and silver highlights. There are thin high clouds over the lake. Last night there was an amazing display of the northern lights.
Oct 7: We had 65 this afternoon after a cold morning start of 40 degrees. Lake Superior has 2-3ft blue waves from the SE. We had some clouds, we had some sun.
Oct 6: Our low this morning was 50 and our high this afternoon 56. Lake Superior had huge metallic gray waves from the SE. They were 3-4ft with whitecaps out further and large white crests as the wavefronts broke near the rocks. Skies were cloudy but the sun found places to break through from time to time. The wind was powerful and probably was partly driving the waves. Once in a while we had mist coming down and pelting us.
Oct 5: We somehow squeeked out a 60 degree high yesterday. It was a beautiful evening for a fire and watching the stars. This morning we had a 44 degree low. The loud waves that we could not clearly see during the night are now 3-4ft blue waves with olive green shadows and some whitecaps from the SSE. Skies overhead are cloudy.
Oct 4: It was 39 degrees this morning. I believe that is our first temperature in the 30's since early May. We have a lake breeze from the south. There are clear blue skies overhead that blend into a white lake horizon sky. Gitche Gami is blue with 1-2ft waves from the south. The sun and its reflections off the lake surface are blinding. We have 52 degrees at noon. I doubt we will see 60 degrees today as leaves continue to fall from the aspens.
Oct 3: The morning low was 45 and our high today was 65. It was overcast and cloudy this morning but the overcast burned off in early afternoon. Lake Superior was blue gray with 2ft waves from the south. We had strong winds off the lake.
Oct 2: We traveled to Duluth today to meet up with family. It was so good to see my cousin and enjoy Canal Park on an overcast fall day. Lake Superior had 2-3ft waves from the south. The morning low was a warm 59 and the afternoon warmed up into the 70's in Duluth but only got to 64 here in Grand Marais. Surprisingly. the skies let some sun through finally in the lake afternoon.
Oct 1: It is a chilly 49 degrees this morning to begin the month of October. We had and amazing wind storm pass through late last night. At sunset it looked like it might be a rainstorm with dark clouds but once again, the rain never materialized. I had to get up and shut the windows to keep the wind from knocking plants and items off shelves and onto the floor. Even our door bell chimes were dinging from the wind blowing them against each other. This morning we have clear deep blue skies blending into a white lake horizon. Lake Superior has a metallic blue surface with dark navy shadows and 3ft waves from the south buffeting into the shore.
September 2024
Sep 30: September ends with another spectacular fall day. We had a metallic blue Lake Superior with navy shadows and 2-3ft waves. There was the deep blue clear skies. There was a brisk wind that continues to strip the trees of their brown and diried up leaves. Our low was 55 this morning and our high 72 this afternoon. Except for a series of humid days with some wildfire smoke, September has been just a gorgeous month.
Sep 29: Lake Superior has 1-2ft blue waves from the ESE this morning (an unusual direction). There are navy shadows and brilliant white reflections in the direction of the rising sun. The rustle of the waves breaking into the rocks and the cool 59 degrees overnight made for comfortable sleeping. This morning the beauty of the quaking aspens with their gold leaves shimmering in the wind has caught my eyes. Looks like it will be another picture perfect fall day with clear blue skies.
Sep 28: We woke to a calm blue Lake Superior with only ripples from the SE. Our low was 58 and we jumped to a high of 75 here in Croftville. Plenty of sun with just a few passing clouds. Although we still have green grass in areas that receive a good amount of shade, grass and soil in predominately sunny area are dried up. What a great day to be outside enjoying all that our north shore has to offer.
Sep 27: Another stunningly beautiful fall day along the North Shore as leaves are producing more fall color with each passing day. The low was 53 and the high 71. There was a steady wind from the west today, We had clear blue skies and a blue lake with 1-2ft waves from the south. There was some fog out on the lake this morning and it even hovered into shore for an hour or so late this morning blocking the sun for awhile.
Sep 26: It was a beautiful morning with a low of 58, clear blue skies, a gentle lake breeze, and 6" to 1ft blue roller waves on a smooth lake surface from the south. We can see more color with each passing day. The high this afternoon was 72.
Sep 25: Our low was 54 this morning and we had a high of 69 along the shore in Croftville today. There was a gentle lake breeze, mostly clear skies, and 2ft blue waves with navy shadows from the SE.
Sep 24: Walking our paths last night I was struck by how many leaves have dropped. They have not turned bright colors but just dried up, turned brown, and dropped from the trees. I am looking forward to some cold crisp nights to bring out that color. It was 55 this morning. Skies are cloudy over the land but I can see clear blue skies out over the lake. The air is still. Lake Superior has 2ft gray waves from the SSE with greenish brown shadows.
Sep 23: What a gorgeous fall day to be outside enjoying the north shore of Lake Superior. The low this morning was our first night in the 40's since May. It was 47 and we warmed to 67 this afternoon with the mostly sunny blue skies. The breeze off the lake was refreshing. Lake Superior had 1-3ft blue waves with dark olive shadows from the SE.
Sep 22: It was so windy last night and this morning. The brisk cold breeze felt good but made a mess dropping branches and leaves. Our low was 54 and the waves started to dissipate and change directions to the SSW by noon. Lake Superior had 6" to 1ft blue waves against a blue sky. Our high was 73 and our fall colors are increasing.
Sep 21: We finally cooled down into the 50's last night with a morning low of 55. It felt good to get away from those warm nights we have been having most of this month. This morning the skies are mostly cloudy with a few patches of blue away from the lake. Lake Superior has 2ft grayish blue roller waves from the south with a thin navy band of water near the lake horizon. The air is still and each day in spite of the warm temperatures, we see the trees and underbrush changing more and more to fall.
Sep 20: After a high of 77 yesterday it only cooled to 67 overnight. There was a promise of thunder, lightning, and rain during the evening hours. We got plenty of thunder and lightning through the night but not a single drop of rain here in Croftville. Today we have clear skies going from bright sky blue overhead to white along the lake horizon. Lake Superior has 2-3ft metallic blue waves from the SE with black shadows and white highlights as the sun reflects off the wave crests. So far our high is 72 as of 4pm. We are still waiting for a break in our humidity.
Sep 19: We cooled down to 63 this morning. There are clouds and overcast skies moving in. We have already seen some light rain at 11am. Lake Superior is a shiny metallic gray with 2-3ft waves from the SE with white highlights from the sun that in places has almost broke through the overcast. I can see area of rain coming down on the lake surface. To the west we have solid overcast skies which is probably what is coming our way for the afternoon. There is a little more fall color each day but we also have a lot of leaves that are just drying up, turning brown, and falling from the tree.
Sep 18: It was a high of 77 again and a morning low of 63 again. The humidity is beginning to dissipate but the dew points are still in the 60's which is a lot of moisture in the air for Sep 18. Lake Superior has 2ft blue waves with navy shadows from the SE as we approach sunset. There is a clear white lake horizon, blue skies, and a gentle breeze as we welcome the end of the day's heat.
Sep 17: It was another hot humid day yesterday with a high of 77 making it uncomfortable to be out in the sun but pleasant enough if you could do things in the shade. A late morning shower helped to keep things a bit cooler than they might have been. This morning our low is 63 and it feels like maybe the humidity has dropped a little. Lake Superior has 1ft roller waves on a blue and navy textured surface from the SSE. Skies are mixed with a hazy yellow lake horizon, blue skies overhead, and a few cumulus clouds inbetween.
Sep 16: The air is still this morning. Lake Superior has 1ft blue waves on a smooth surface coming straight into shore from the SSE. The sky is an odd mixture with sun, high clouds overhead, low hanging cumulus clouds over the horizon, and a haze that mutes the clouds over the lake. We can still feel the humidity in the air and it was one of our warmest nights of the year with a low of only 66.
Sep 15: Our low and high today were 62 and 77 today respectively. Pretty warm for the middle of September but add in the extra humidity and this was an uncomfortably hot day in Croftville. Luckily the breeze off the lake made it much more bearable. Lake Superior was blue with only small waves today. The skies were blue as well but with some high clouds.
Sep 14: It has been 1 year today since our brown and gray tabby cat, Wiley, disappeared. We miss you and we regret we were never able to find any trace of what became of you. We had a warm night of 60 degrees last night after a high yesterday of 73. Lake Superior has 1ft blue waves from the SE along with a cool lake breeze from the SE. Skies are mixed with a little blue, some high thin clouds, and some haze.
Sep 13: It was humid overnight and it is humid this morning. Our morning low was 62 and we have a brisk breeze. Skies are a light grayish yellow overcast, partly from the humidity and partly from the lingering smoke from the California wildfires. Off to the SW and moving onto the lake we can see a dark front moving onto the lake. It certainly has all the signs of rain but I have no idea if it will make it up the shore to us. A little rain might be nice to drop the humidity and wash some of the smoke out of the air. Lake Superior has 2-3ft metallic blue waves from the SE roaring into the shore.
Sep 12: It was a good day to be outside on Lake Superior's north shore. The only downfall was the haze in the sky from wildfires in California. But there was a pleasant breeze, plenty of sun, and a little warm for a mid-September day at 75. Lake Superior was a metallic blue with 1-2ft waves from the SE.
Sep 11: The low this morning was 55 and our afternoon high was 75. It is a beautiful fall day with plenty of sun but there was a haze in the sky from the California wildfires. By evening the smell of smoke was so intense I thought for sure all our guests had campfires going but there wasn't a single one. Early afternoon we watched a rainstorm pass by out over the lake, but it never got to our shore. Lake Superior had 1-2ft blue waves with navy shadows today.
Sep 10: Our low was 55 this morning and our high is 75 at 6pm. Lake Superior has 1-2ft silver blue waves from the SE with olive shadows close to shore and navy shadows further out. Skies were clear most of the day but with a little haze in the air. This morning there was a storm front that passed by and dropped some rain out on the lake but not on us before moving on. There wasn't much of a breeze but it sure felt good when you sat down in the shade and had that air moving across your body.
Sep 9: It was a warm night compared to the last few days with our morning low of 58. We have clear blue skies this morning that meld into a light yellowish sky at the lake horizon. The air is still. Gitche Gami has 1ft light blue roller waves from the south on a smooth surface. There are some regions of darker blue out on the lake. We hiked Eagle Mountain yesterday and saw that many of the aspens and birch were turning gold at that higher elevation.
Sep 8: A chilly 49 this morning was no match for the bright sun and clear blue skies that warmed us up to 77 by late afternoon. Lake Superior was blue with 1-2ft waves on a textured surface. There are beginning to be more signs of autumn each day. Our moose maple are starting to show tints of orange in their green leaves.
Sep 7: We saw our first frost on the cottage rooves this morning. Our morning low here in Croftville was 43 but with the frost there were obviously some surfaces much colder than that. Our high yesterday was 64. Skies are a deep sky blue and clear fading to white at the horizon line. Lake Superior has 1ft blue waves with navy shadows on a highly textured lake surface coming from the SE.
Sep 6: Surprisingly, yesterday afternoon the skies finally allowed a little sun through the cloud cover and we warmed up to 73. Last night temps plummeted to 47. I don't think I have had an ovenight low in the 40's since early June. Skies this morning are mostly cloudy with bands of cumulus clouds and some sun poking through. The big lake has 1ft silver blue waves with brown shadows coming straight in from the SSE. Yesterday afternoon we wachhed an ore freighter pass by 2-3 miles out coming from Duluth.
Sep 5: There was a change in weather overnight. Light rain began about midnight and has continued on and off throughout the morning. Skies are a dark gray and looks like this weather will stay through the day. Our low this morning was 59 degrees and our temp at noon is 61 degrees. Lake Superior is dark gray with a few green hints. We have 1ft waves that have changed directions now from the SE.
Sep 4: It was another gorgeous early fall day along Lake Superior. Our high in Croftville was 73 with sun, blue skies, and spotty cumulus white clouds. It was warm overnight only dropping to 67 this morning. Lake Superior had 3-4ft metallic blue waves with whitecaps pounding the Croftville shore from the SE.
Sep 3: We woke up to overcast gray skies. Lake Superior has 2-3ft blue gray waves from the south. The low was 52 and the high was 72 with the sun only partially burning off the overcast. We watched an ore freighter go by yesterday. Not sure why it was taking the northerly route without any poor weather.
Sep 2: Our temperature range today was from 53 to 71. It was a beautiful sunny day with deep blue skies overhead that changed to an almost white blue at the lake horizon. Lake Superior was a metallic blue with 1-2ft waves from the south. The wind was cold but felt good. There are signs of fall in the leaves and plants. Some have signs of color while some have began to dry up and brown.
Sep 1: As September comes to Croftville, summer reminded us that it is not entirely done yet. It was a beautiful late summer day with brilliant blue skies, and crisp white cumulus clouds. Our low was 53 this morning and our high late this afternoon was 76. Lake Superior is calmer today with 1ft metallic blue waves from the south. The air has only a small breeze and those nasty flies are biting chunks out of my legs without the wind to blow them away.
August 2024
Aug 31: We end August on a day that feels more like a precursor for fall. It was 61 degrees this morning. Lake Superior has 2-3ft metallic gray waves from the south. There is a steady breeze and blue skies with strings of high stratus clouds. The breeze is kind of chilly and it took until 1pm before we finally managed to tip 70.
Aug 30: What started as light rain last night turned into an impressive rain and lightning storm that lasted a couple hours. This morning we had strong winds, strong waves, and a low of 58. Lake Superior was and still is a steel blue with 4ft waves pounding into the rocks from the south. Close to the shore the lake has a brownish copper color from the waves churning up the lakebed. Skies have been a pale blue with individual cumulus clouds passing by. Our high was 76 degrees around 3pm. It has been an amazing early fall day to spend outside.
Aug 29: The wind blew powerfully last night and continued through today. That wind pumped up Lake Superior as well with 2-3ft steel blue waves from the SE. It definitely felt like a fall day with the banks of cumulus clouds with the sun popping through. In the afternoon dark skies began to encroach us from the SW. Finally at 7pm the rain has begun. The low this morning was 57 and our high in the afternoon was 69.
Aug 28: We had a comfortable sleeping night with 61 degrees. The lake was loud with its 2ft waves from the SE. This morning we have blue waves with green shadows. The sky overhead is gray overcast. However, the sky over the lake has several banks of cumulus clouds with hints of sun trying to break through.
Aug 27: It was a warm night. Temps did not begin going down from our high until 9pm. The distant thunder and lightning storm finally got close enough to us to give us some rain around 3am. With the rain came cooler temps and a comfortable wind but no break in humidity. This morning we have 68 degrees. Lake Superior has 1-2ft blue gray waves from the SE. I can smell smoke from wildfires in the air. The skies are a heavy gray overcast. They say we are to have rain this afternoon but so far at 3pm there has been no precipitation yet. Our high earlier this afternoon was 74.
Aug 26: Our high was 79 by the lake today but the humidity made it felt much warmer. Lake Superior was mostly calm with a pale blue surface. The air was still and hazy. We could see some large cumulus clouds that looked shadowed in the haze. Coming home down the trail last night we saw an amazing lightning storm to our north.
Aug 25: We returned to Lake Superior today after leaving Prior Lake this morning. Ovenight it stayed in the mid 70's which wasn't too bad but the humidity was what made it uncomfortable. As we moved north the temperature stayed about the same even though we were moving into the middle of the day. At 6pm we are at 77 degrees and it is today's high.
Aug 24: We spent today on Saint Paul at the Minnesota State Fair. It was remarkable to see how much the BWCA, The North Shore, and Duluth are ingrained into the Minnesota experience. The fine arts building must of had about a third of their exhibits inspired by these. We also saw so many vendors promoting foods and experiences for these venues. When you tell someone you live in Grand Marais people always want to tell you about their own experiences on the North Shore. It was a sunny and humid day in Saint Paul with a high approaching the mid 80's. It was particularly noticable on the animals in the barns and when you were standing in the sun on the pavement.
Aug 23: Thunder and lightning rolled into Croftville just before 4am this morning. The storm lasted about 3 hours with a good rain, a great lightshow and some thunder that we could feel like we were in a high school pep fest. We are now left with dark gray skies this morning and it still feels like it could rain. The wind is now gone. Lake Superior has 2ft blue gray waves with olive shadows from the south. Our temperature this morning is 63.
Aug 22: We woke up to a lake that was almost glass this morning except for a few ripples. There was some sunshine this morning but things clouded over later in the day and the blue lake turned to a gray lake with small waves from the SSE. Our morning low was 57 and our high was 72 early this afternoon but then dropped back into the 60's. At 6pm we have heavily overcast gray skies and 68 degrees.
Aug 21: It was a sunny day with a gentle breeze that made it a great day to be working outdoors. Lake Superior had blue skies overhead and blue 1ft waves from the SE. It was almost cold this morning with a low of 52 degrees but temps warmed up quickly and steadily. Currently at 6pm we are at our high of the day at 75 degrees.
Aug 20: There is a faint line of cumulus clouds near the lake horizon. Everywhere else we have blue skies with the exception of a little haze from the wildfire smoke coming down from Canada. Lake Superior has 1ft blue waves from the SE with a textured surface. The air is still, the low was 54 and so far we are up to 69 at 3pm.
Aug 19: We have a full moon rising as a large orange orb in the hazy sky. Lake Superior has 1ft waves from the SSE coming into shore with the moon reflecting off the lake surface. The sky is still too hazy to see the stars, but the moon gets clearer and brighter as it continues to rise in the sky. The low this morning was 58 and it warmed up to 73 in the afternoon before dropping into the low 60's by dark.
Aug 18: It cooled down to 58 last night. The skies never got clear enough to see the stars with the smoke in the air. The gibbous moon was fuzzy and yellow but the cool temps felt so good for sleeping. So far today we have warmed to 74 at 4pm. Lake Superior has 1ft pale blue roller waves from the SSE with a fuzzy horizon and hazy blue skies. At times I can smell the wildfire smoke.
Aug 17: It warmed up overnight with 66 degrees this morning. It kept warming during the day with a late afternoon high of 77. Skies are hazy from the wildfire smoke in Canada and the cumulus clouds which should be a crisp white against a brilliant blue sky are shadowy instead. Lake Superior is a pale gray with small waves. We headed up to Clearwater Lake today for a little canoeing, a little hiking, and lunch on an amazing lunch rock looking out over Lake Watap on the border. A special not to Bjorn Johnson and Collin Berglund, the viscosity of the water on Clearwater seemed normal today.
Aug 16: We had a low of 63 and a high of 71 today. It was nearly 100% humidity all day long with fog and a white haze over the land and lake. Lake Superior had small waves from the SE and limited visibility from a 100 yards to about a half mile.
Aug 15: The rain finally came about 2pm this afternoon. It is a steady moderate soaking rain. With the rain the wind also picked up. I got sprayed no matter what covered porch I sat on outside listening to the rain come down. Our low was 60 this morning and our high was 69 in the early afternoon but then began going down with the rain. Lake Superior was blue and mostly calm with hazy skies and cloaked cumulus clouds in the sky overhead.
Aug 14: It was so smoky today and the sky so hazy. You could barely see the cumulus clouds in the skies through the haze. Lake Superior this evening has 6" to 1ft pale blue waves from the SE. Our low was 60 and our high 78 late this afternoon.
Aug 13: It is 60 degrees this morning. The air is still. Lake Superior is a pale blue with only ripples from the south. Visibility is only a couple hundred yards. The air is foggy but also smoky. You can smell the smoke this morning. In the direction of the sunrise the smoke and fog in the sky is a yellowish brown.
Aug 12: We had too many high thin clouds last night to take advantage of the Perseids Meteor Shower. We could see some stars but the thin clouds made them faint and a bit fuzzy. Not a great night to watch for meteors and my impatience made me too sleepy to stay up under non-ideal conditions. Our low this morning was 59 and our high made it up to 70. Lake Superior was quite calm and smooth with only ripples and small waves on it's pale blue surface. Today we still had high thin clouds with sun making it through.
Aug 11: After a high if 67 yesterday we dropped back to 56 this morning and are at 66 at 4pm this afternoon. The cool August temps continue but the wind from the last couple days is now gone. Gitche Gami is a pale blue with small 1ft waves from the south on a slightly textured surface with brown shadows. The sky above the horizon is white that melds into a hazy sky blue, plenty of sun, and translucent cloud cover.
Aug 10: And our excursion into fall weather continues. We have strong swirling winds mostly coming off the hill. As the gust hit the lake and spread out over the surface they are subduing the waves close to shore. Lake Superior is gray with a choppy textured surface. The skies are cloudy with the sun poking through once in a while. Our low this morning was 56. Definitely long sleeves and sweatshirt weather today.
Aug 9: It was another preview of fall today. It was very windy and the inner leaves of the birch trees browned to conserve water from the past few weeks of heat blew off in the wind. Our low was 54 and our high 63 today. Lake Superior had 3ft waves that almost covered up the sound of the wind.
Aug 8: There was a touch of fall in the air today. It rained off and on all night and I got up at midnight to take a walk in the light rain at that time. It has been several weeks since we have had any substantive rainfall and the wetness of the rain felt so refreshing running down my face. Our low this morning was 62 and our high for the day was 72. There was a robust wind all day long and that corresponded with the 2-3ft waves with changing directions through the day. Lake Superior was a dark grayish blue. Skies were mixed with patches of blueand sun through the day.
Aug 7: It was an almost chilly 56 this morning here in Croftville. We have 1-2ft silver blue waves from the south brushing the rocks. The sky above the horizon is white that gradually turns blue as we pan upwards. There are also white high cirrus clouds up in that blue sky.
Aug 6: Our high today spiked to 80 degrees late in the afternoon after a pleasant sunny day in the 70's. The low this morning was 58. Although the air was still, the sun still felt pleasant working outdoors on the yard. Lake Superior was blue and calm this morning and had small waves later in the day.
Aug 5: It was good sleeping weather last night with a low of 59. Today felt more like Lake Superior weather with a high of 72. Lake Superior had 1ft blue green waves with green shadows against a mostly blue sky with a little cloud cover. We keep hearing weather reports of heavy rain throughout Minnesota the last couple weeks but somehow it keeps missing Cook County. It is getting noticeably dry here. We had to water the lawn right in front of the office for the first time this summer.
Aug 4: It was a 64 low and 74 high for today. We had cloudy skies with a little sun at times. Lake Superior had 1-2ft blue gray waves from the ESE with green shadows.
Aug 3: What a difference a day can make. Our low this morning was 67 and our high only 75. Instead of doing everything possible to stay cool, I found myself putting on sweatpants and a sweatshirt to stay comfortably warm. Several large thunderstorms missed us last night and today. All we got was a sprinkling of rain and some impressive cloudbanks. Lake Superior was a grayish blue with only ripples on the surface this morning. Later this afternoon those ripples became 1-2ft waves.
Aug 2: It cooled down to 65 this morning after a warm evening but as the sun came up this morning it began to heat up everything in sight. We were to 81 by 11am and around 6pm we hit 92 here in Croftville right beside the world's largest air conditioner (Lake Superior). It was a scorcher out there today. The only things that made it a little bearable was shade and a little less smoke and humidity today. The most comfortable place I could find was sitting next to our shore in the shade with a little air movement (even though it was not coming from the lake). Lake Superior was blue with 1-2ft roller waves from the south and green shadows against a slightly hazy and mostly clear blue sky.
Aug 1: With a low of 68 and a high of 77 today was comparatively pleasant to our preceding days. Skies were blue with a haze from both humidity and smoke. Lake Superior this evening has 1-2ft grayish blue waves from the south with green shadows to begin the month of August.
July 2024
Jul 31: It was 64 this morning. Lake Superior was a greenish glass without even a ripple on it. It looked briefly like we might have a break in the weather pattern of this week but it was just teasing me. As I looked to the rising sun I could once again see the haze in the sky and the humidity in the air. Things began warming up and by late morning it was hot and uncomfortable. Our high was 80 degrees and the air was still too much of the time. The heat of the afternoon produced 1-2ft waves on a green surface. We took a trip inland from the lake and up there I could distinctly smell the smoke that was making our sky hazy and our sun yellow.
Jul 30: Except for a little less humidity day, it was much like our past 2 days here in Croftville. It was humid, hot, and hazy from the wildfire smoke. Our low was 68 this morning and we rose to 82 in the late afternoon. Skies were almost blue today without any clouds but still with much haze. Lake Superior was also almost blue today and was realtively calm with only 1ft textured waves coming to our rocky shore.
Jul 29: It was another warm, humid night with smoke added in for bad measure. Our low was 69 this morning and our high was 83 here in Croftville next to the big lake. The air is mostly still but if you are fortunate enough to find a spot with a breeze, it is comfortable outside. Toilet tanks are sweating, and I am sweating. The sky has been a off-white overcast all day long with a little sun finally poking through after 4pm. Lake Superior has bluish gray 2-3ft waves. The air quality is poor with me fighting a cough all day long from the irritant smoke.
Jul 28: It was a hot night last night with a low of 69 , smoke, and high humidity. Without the movement of air from the ceiling fans, sleeping would have been tough. Today the high humidity and smoke continued with a high of 83. Luckily there was a breeze but it was a warm breeze off the hill. Lake Superior had 2ft gray waves from the SSE.
Jul 27: We have 2ft gray waves with green shadows from the SSE this afternoon. The skies are hazy (smokey) and gray. It is extremely humid and all the toilet tanks are sweating profusely. There was a mist this morning that got everything outside wet. It was warm overnight with a 69 degree low but the smoke in the skies have kept the sun away and so far we have only reached 75 degrees at 3pm. Without this overcast I expect it would be much warmer.
Jul 26: Croftville has 2ft blue roller waves running into the Lake Superior shore from the SSE. Skies are a hazy blue with a few thin high wispy clouds. There is a gentle breeze and a hot sun. Our low was 54 and our high was 78 today.
Jul 25: It was another beautiful summer day with a low of 55 and a high of 77. Lake Superior has 1ft light blue roller waves from the SSE with green shadows. There is a narrow navy band of water right below the white horizon. Elsewhere the sky is a hazy blue.
Jul 24: It is a gorgeous summer day along Lake Superior in Croftville. There has been a nice breeze, few bugs, and moderate temperatures with a low of 58 and a high of 74. The big lake is blue with a textured surface and 6" to 1ft waves from the south. The sun is warm but not hot. I found oine ripe raspberry today but it looks like we will be waiting for another week or two before they are out in full force.
Jul 23: We woke up to 2-3ft grayish green waves on Lake Superior from the SE this morning pounding the rocks on our shore. Skies were a dark gray overcast with a line of dark clouds near the lake horizon. We warmed only to 68 and although the overcast skies lightened in the afternoon, the overcast never burned away. The juneberries are quickly ripening and should be ready to pick soon. Word is that blueberries are ready to pick but in very short supply this year. It still will be a couple weeks before the raspberries begin to ripen.
Jul 22: There was a cool breeze off the lake last night and our overnight low dropped to 58 degrees for comfortable sleeping. Storm clouds rolled in early this morning and almost black clouds dropped rain for an hour or 2 beginning around 9am. Lake Superior is calm with ripples from the SSE and a quiltwork of different surface colors and textures.
Jul 21: It was a calm day on Lake Superior with just ripples on a smooth surface. The largest waves were from the wakes of recreational motor boats. Our morning low was 60 and our high was 76 at 6pm. Skies have been mostly clear today. We canoed into the Grand Marais harbor from our resort. The dark bluegreen color of the cold water was striking from our canoe. I was also surprised at the amount of algea already growing on the lakebed in mid July.
Jul 20: Clouds came in overnight and we woke up to dark gray overcast skies and lots of thunder. Lake Superior has 1ft bluish gray smooth waves from the south. The lake surface melds seamlessly into the dark navy sky at the horizon and then into faint outlines of thunderheads across the lake. Our morning low was 63. The air seams hazy.
Jul 19: Our low was 57 and our high 76 today. Except for a haze that showed up in the afternoon, this was a picture perfect summer day on the North Shore. Blue clear skies, a nice strong breeze, and few bugs. It was a good day to be outside enjoying all the North Shore has to offer.
Jul 18: It was a windy and mostly sunny today after the morning overcast burned off. The wind was coming off the hill and was really whipping the tops of the trees in the boreal forest. Our morning low was 59 and we topped at 76 this afternoon. Kitche Kami was still this morning with only ripples on the surface but the added energy into her by the sun and the wind gave us 1-2ft blue waves with navy shadows from the south,
Jul 17: The low by the lake was 57 this morning. Looks like our high will be in the low 70's. There was a strong warm wind coming off the hill this morning but it has dissipated, the skies have become cloudy with heavy cumulus clouds, and the quickly rising temps from this morning have stalled out. Lake Superior has a gray surface with ripples from the ESE.
Jul 16: Our morning low was 62 and our high today was 77. We traveled to Duluth today for shopping and a Minnesota Withholding Tax and Unemployment Tax seminar. Lake Superior was a deep blue and the skies were mostly cloudy with plenty bouts of sun. The heavy bottomed but soaring tall cumulus clouds were impressive today. Sometimes the clouds were almost black and we could see rain falling over the big lake. However, on the land we only experienced a few brief and light showers.
Jul 15: Our high yesterday was one of the hottest I can remember here along the lake in Croftville. We exploded to 91 degrees late in the afternoon. Humidity was likewise quite high. Luckily, if you could find shade near the lake with the small breeze it was bearable but in the direct sun it was brutal. Lake Superior had 1ft blue waves with navy shadows and a highly textured surface. Overnight we cooled down to 64 and we are currently at 68 degrees at 3pm. We had a calm glassy lake this morning. Visibility goes from almost zero to being able to see the lake horizon. About 2pm dark skies encroached and dropped a series of heavy bu short rainfalls.
Jul 14: Our high yesterday was 82 but with the small breeze and if you were in the shade it was comfortable outside. Overnight our low was a remarkably warm 67 degrees. There is enough air movement to rustle the leaves. We have blue skies but still with a haze in the air. Across the lake there are huge cumulus thunderheads but the dark skies and heavy rain missed us here on the North Shore last night. Lake Superior is blue with small waves from the south. The surface is highly textured in some places and flat and smooth in others.
Jul 13: After our warmest day of the summer with an early evening high of 84, we had our warmest night of the summer with a 64 degree morning low. I can smell smoke from western wildfires in the air for the first time this summer. The skies are hazy and the sun is yellowish. Our air is stil and Lake Superior has pale blue 5" waves from the SSE.
Jul 12: It was a hot day yesterday in Croftville with temps topping out at 78 in the late afternoon. Overnight we cooled down to a warm 60 degrees. Without much of a breeze it feels like it will be another hot day today. We have clear blue skies and a bright clear sun. Lake Superior has 1ft blue waves with olive green shadows from the south with a textured surface. Last night we watched a flock of Canada Geese swim by a handful at a time leisurely past our shore on their way to the neighbors' big grassy lawn.
Jul 11: Our low was 59 this morning. Kitche Gami is quiet with 6" roller waves from the SE brushing the shoreline. The lake is a pale blue that fades to almost white at the fuzzy lake horizon. There are no clouds and the sky is blue but there is a brownish haze in the air. It makes the sun slightly fuzzy. The birds are loud this morning driving our cat crazy. Our local bear visited knocking our locked garbage bins around a bit.
Jul 10: Our morning low was 62 and our high today was 77. Lake Superior has ripples from the SE this morning that turned into 1ft waves later in the day. The surface is a pale blue. The sky is without clouds and blue but it also has a haze in the air. It may be from wildfires in the western part of our country. It was a warm day to be outside but it is a little less humid today making it easier to take the North Shore version of heat.
Jul 9: There is a navy band of water just below the lake horizon. The rest of Gitche Gumee is pale blue with ripples from the south as a calm surface continues. We have clear blue but slightly hazy skies today. After a humid high of 73 yesterday, we begin today at 60 degrees. Teresa saw a couple loons out on the big lake yesterday.
Jul 8: After cycling several times yesterday between rain and sun, we had a high of 72 with high humidity yesterday. This morning we dropped to 57. Visibility is only a couple hundred yards. The air is still and the skies are a light gray overcast. Lake Superior is calm with only ripples on its surface.
Jul 7: There is a gentle breeze here in Croftville this morning. The skies have some clouds that are shadowed by a light white overcast. Lake Superior has a pale blue surface with a variety of different textures but no waves. There are 3 dark navy narrow bands that separate the lake from the sky. The low is 59 after a high yesterday of 68.
Jul 6: We had a high of 72 yesterday afternoon before late afternoon rainstorms cooled things down. This morning we had 59 degrees. Skies are clear blue but a bit hazy. Lake Superior has 1ft blue waves from the SSW coming to our shore.
The air is still with 63 degrees just before noon.
Jul 5: It is a calm morning with a flat pale blue Lake Superior. The lack of sound from the lake and the wind means we can hear a choir of birds. Skies are a grayish white overcast. The morning low was 58.
Jul 4: It was a beautiful Independence Day with blue skies a blue and mostly calm Lake Superior. We hiked to middle falls today and gazed at the tanic acid tinted water plummet over the falls. We also could see the ghost plants just popping through the soil. The low this morning was 56 and our high was 74.
Jul 3: Our high yesterday was only 1 degree higher than our low, 57and 56 degrees. This isn't too surprising when we had gray overcast skies and a light rain and mist coming down the entire day. However, what a difference a day can make. This morning we have a low of 54 and clear blue skies. The sun is bright and we have a gentle breeze swirling around us. Lake Superior has 1-2ft blue waves with brownish shadows from the south. The horizon is fuzzy and white.
Jul 2: It is a warm 56 degrees overnight here in Croftville. Rain moved in in the early morning hours with gray overcast skies. It feels like a light rain that will continue for quite a while. Visibility is limited to less than a mile out on Lake Superior. There are 1-2ft greenish gray waves coming straight in from the SSE. Our air is still.
Jul 1: July begins with a 51 degree morning low and a 67 degree late afternoon high. Lake Superior was blue but calm today. Not quite glass but with only a rippled surface. Skies were mostly sunny with some cumulus clouds. It was buggy without much of a breeze.
June 2024
Jun 30: June ends with a beautiful summer day. Our low was 47 and our high 72. We had mostly blue skies with a few white cumulus clouds passing by. There was a brisk breeze rustling the leaves while keeping it pleasant outside and mostly bug-free. Lake Superior was a deep blue with 1ft waves from the SE. The boreal forest is now that deep summer green. The pale immature leaves from the spring are now gone. It is fun watching the devil's paintbrush, daisies, buttercups, and lupines coloring up our road ditches.
Jun 29: Although the rain quit during the night, we remain with gray overcast skies this morning. Lake Superior is a brownish gray with 1ft roller waves from the SE. There is a narrow navy band of water just below the fuzzy white horizon line. Our low is 51 this morning after a high of 56 yesterday.
Jun 28: It began to rain around 3am this morning and has not stopped once although it did rain heavier a few times. This is what we would call a long soaking rain but with our ground already pretty saturated, there is not much soaking to be done. The low this morning was 48 and our high so far at 3pm is 55. Skies are gray. Lake Superior is a grayish brown. We have 2-3ft waves crushing the shore from the SE. The horizon is fuzzy and the wind is gentle.
Jun 27: The bugs were just terrible today in the late afternoon and evening. However, the morning and early afternoon were just glorious with a brisk wind, sunny skies, and fairly low humity. After a low of 55, our high was a comfortable 69. Lake Superior had 1ft blue waves from the SSE.
Jun 26: Our high late yesterday was 86 degrees. The is certainly our first 80 degree day this summer but there have been many summers by the lake that 86 would be our high for the entire summer. Sometimes along the lake we never even get out of the 70's for the summer. The skies opened up during the night and unleashed rain from about midnight to 7am. This morning our low is 56 and we have fog that limits visibility to a couple hundred yards. Lake Superior has 1ft gray waves from the SE.
Jun 25: There is a pale blue band on the lake just below the horizon. Above the horizon the sky is white that blends into clear blue skies as you look upwards. The rest of Lake Superior has 1-2ft blue waves from the south with navy shadows and silver highlights. our low this morning was 55 after a high of 71 yesterday. The air is still after an amazing thunderstorm overnight that brought rain and lit up the sky over the lake.
Jun 24: The wild roses are now open. Our honeysuckles and lilac are in full bloom which is a bit early for along the lake. The apple blossoms from Cecelia's crab apple are coming to an end. The mountain ash and red osier dogwood are just beginning to bloom. A bear knocked down 2 of our bird feeders a couple nights ago so the birds will have to fend for themselves until this fall. The birds are very loud this morning mostly because the air is still and the lake is calm. Lake Superior has only ripples from the south. The pale blue surface melds almost seamlessly into the fog and pale blue sky at the horizon. Our low this morning is 54.
Jun 23: As the sun sets tonight Lake Superior has 1ft blue waves from the south. The sky above the lake horizon is purple and turns to pink then white then blue. Our low was 53 this morning, Our high was 71, And we are currently at a comfortable 63. We had bouts of strong wind today. We had bouts of still air. When the air was still it felt hot, humid, and buggy. When the wind showed up it was beautiful outdoors. We saw the freighter that ripped open being escorted by a tugboat back to Duluth after unloading and having temporary repairs done in Thunder Bay. It was probably 5 miles out but my dad's spotting scope let me see everything that was happening from our covered porch.
Jun 22: Lake Superior has 1-2ft brownish gray waves from the SE. Just below the lake horizon there is a dark purplish band of water. We have a gentle breeze and 61 degrees at noon after a high of 63 yesterday and a low of 53 this morning. Overhead we have cloudy/overcast skies. The bugs were just brutal yesterday but the breeze today makes it comfortable to be outside on the North Shore.
Jun 21: Lake Superior is glass this morning. I can see all the rocks on the lake bed as I look down on the lake from our bedroom. After a high in the mid 70's yesterday, our temps plummeted to 52 overnight. The full moon was obscured behind cloud cover but it was getting light at 4:30am this morning. The air is still, the lake is silent, the lake surface is a pale blue against the white overcast skies.
Jun 20: Late morning yesterday the winds picked up and you could feel the humidity in the air begin to drop. The afternoon was gorgeous with partly sunny skies, a comfortable wind (too strong for the mosquitoes), and a late afternoon high of 77. This morning we have a calm Lake Superior with blue gray ripples from the SSE. Our low is 57. Lake Superior has 2 dark navy bands just below the lake horizon. Last night we watched the almost full moon move across the sky.
Jun 19: What a rainstorm last night. The skies opened up around 6pm and didn't stop dropping rain (heavy much of the time) until around 4am. Lake Superior is copper colored for at least a half mile out from the runoff. The big lake this morning has 2ft waves from the south. There is a light swirling breeze. The sky at the lake horizon is a dark navy. The rest of the sky is heavily clouded but a break in the clouds did let a small amount of sunlight through for a short time. After a high of 66 yesterday our low this morning was 56.
Jun 18: It is overcast skies today with 1ft gray waves from the SE brushing the shore here in Croftville. The lake horizon is fuzzy. Our low this morning was 56 and at 2pm our high is so far 61. the mosquitoes are terrible. Some of the worst I can remember in mid-June but not surprising with all the rain we have seen this month.
Jun 17: It rained steady during the night, it rained during the morning, it rained this afternoon, and it looks like it might rain tonight. It starting to feel like there is never a time it is not raining and replenishing our mosquito supply. The billowing fog was impressive as it raced in and out from the shore later in the afternoon and early evening. Lake Superior has gray with 1ft roller waves from the SE. Our low was 55 this morning and our high was 66.
Jun 16: It rained steady during the night and into the morning with the rain ending about 9am. Once the rain ended the fog rolled in leaving us with almost no visibility and misty air. Lake Superior is a dark gray with 1ft roller waves from the SE. Our low was 55 this morning and at 3pm our high so far is just 59. It is not likely we will see much movement with all the water vapor in the air.
Jun 15: Lake Superior has small pale blue waves from the SE this morning. The sky is a hazy overcast with a fuzzy lake horizon. The morning low is 50 after a late afternoon high of 65 once the lake breeze subsided.
Jun 14: After a high of 75 yesterday and high humidity, we only cooled down to a warm 56 overnight. It is a gorgeous summer morning next to Lake Superior with clear blue skies, a gentle lake breeze keeping the bugs away, and 6" blue waves from the SE. People are out in their motor boats enjoying the big lake already this morning.
Jun 13: The fog horn sounded from about 2am until about 9am this morning from the Grand Marais harbor. It is remarkable how that low booming pitch will travel so clearly through the foggy skies. The fog persisted past noon and then gradually the overcast skies turned cloudy and the cloudy skies had patches of sun and patches of rain. The calm Lake Superior from the morning with 6"-1ft waves with no visibility changed into 1-2ft blue waves from the SSW this evening.
Jun 12: Our morning low was 43 and our high 62 today along Croftville Road. I found a couple breaks in the rain to get out and mow once the breze dried the grass and before the next bout of rain came. Lake Superior was quiet with small waves and ripples.
Jun 11: Lake Superior was fairly calm today with 1ft waves from the SSE. The low this morning was 43 and our high this afternoon was in the upper 50's. Rain fell off and on all day long.
Jun 10: Our low this morning was 49 after a high of 76 yesterday. Gitche Gumee has an interesting superposition of waves this morning that is fascinating to watch. We have 6" blue roller waves brushing against the shore from the south. However, at the same time we can watch the highly textured surface waves from the ESE moving almost parallel to shore with their navy highlights. There are several horizontal bands of light blue and navy near the lake horizon. Above the lake horizon we have a yellowish white sky the melds in a clear sky blue as you pan up.
Jun 9: We have a breeze from the north this morning rustling the leaves that is making more noise than Lake Superior. The big lake is a monochrome gray and calm except for some ripples. The lake horizon is a dark and navy. Our skies are cloudy with spots that look like the sun might burn through later today. The low was 52 after a high of 76 yesterday.
Jun 8: Overnight we only dropped to 58, a pretty warm night in June in Grand Marais. We are at 66 at 11am. We have clear blue skies overhead but mostly cloudy skies over the lake. Lake Superior has 1ft blue waves with navy shadows and silver highlights from the south.
Jun 7: It was a pretty early summer day in Croftville. All the rain from this past week has brought out the mosquitoes and filled in and darkened the foliage of the boreal forest. Our low was 51 and our high spiked late in the afternoon to 77 briefly. Lake Superior has 1ft blue waves with navy shadows from the SSW. Skies were partly cloudy with a strong breeze and plenty of sun.
Jun 6: Our low was 48 and our high 65 today. We had rain, sun, fog, clouds, and overcast today. We also had a strong wind. Lake Superior has 2-3ft
blue gray waves today from the SSW glancing into the shore.
Jun 5: It is 6pm and for the first time today we have some sun poking through the cloudy skies and the first time in several days that we can see a clear lake horizon. Our low was 50 this morning and 63 degrees is our current temperature and high for the day. Lake Superior has 1ft blue waves from the south right now. The rest of the day we had intense fog, heavy cumulus cloudbanks, limited visibility of perhaps 50ft, and gray waves. Rain was sporadic this late morning and afternoon. There was a mild breeze.
Jun 4: It was overcast and foggy this morning with limited visibility on the lake with 1ft gray waves from the SE. As the day progresses the fog and overcast burned off giving us sun for awhile before heavy clouds moved in around 5pm. Our low was 50 and our high was 66 while the sun came out.
Jun 3: It began raining during the night and rained steady and at times hard through the morning. When the rain quit before noon the fog came rolling in. We have virtually no visibility on Lake Superior as the fog comes in and out. I can see the 2-3ft waves from the SE break into the rocks on the shore but everything else is a white blur. Our low today was 52 and our high appears to be 61.
Jun 2: It was a drop dead beautiful lat espring day here in Cook County. Lake Superior had light blue 1ft waves with navy shadows from the SE. The skies were clear and blue all day with a crisp white lake horizon line. Our low was 46 and our high is 62 right now at 8pm.
Jun 1: Our low this morning was 51 and we rose to 65 late this afternoon when the sun finally was able to burn off the overcast. Lake Superior has been calm today with 6" bluish gray waves from the SSE bumping against the shore. There is no visible lake horizon today as the fog and overcast has limited lake visibility. Last night the fog bank about one half to two miles off the shore provided an amazing show as it would recede, then come towards shore, then would billow up, and then flatten out. There were times it looked like a tsunami tidal wave coming at us.
May 2024
May 31: It is an light gray overcast morning in Croftville. The air is still. The big lake is still with a bluish gray textures surface and 6" waves from the SSE coming straight in and brushing against the rocks. Our horizon line is indistinct and the sky and lake blend almost seamlessly. Our morning low was 41 and we are at 56 degrees at 11:30am.
May 30: I had to make a quick trip to SE Minnesota to drop off our daughter for her summer internship at Hamline and take care of some business in Faribault. It was full blown summer there. The leaves were full size, there color was no longer the pale green of spring, and temperatures were in the mid 80's. Temps dropped slowly as I returned north but when I came over Thompson Hill and began my descent into Duluth temperatures dropped rapidly. The high in Grand Marais today was only 66 and by the time I got home it was back into the 40's. By comparison,
it is still spring here in Grand Marais.
May 29: Our morning low was a warm 51 again. We have clear blue skies this morning. Once again we only have ripples on a calm lake. It is so disquieting when we cannot hear the lake.
May 28: What a strange day of weather. Lake Superior is a calm pale blue with only ripples from no distinct direction brushing against the shore. The skies are mostly cloudy with small breaks in the clouds. Some clouds are white, some are gray, and some are black. Some are cumulus, some are high clouds, some are in banks, and some are isolated. I don't know how many times the sun was shining on me while it was raining on me. Sometimes it would mist, other times it would pour, and then it would be sunny. The low was 51 and our high was 64.
May 27: We began with 49 degrees and 1ft gray blue waves from the south this morning. We had mixed cloud cover today but there was plenty of sun even though it wasn't continuous. After a high of 62 Lake Superior is now calm with only ripples on its pale blue surface still from the south. It was a beautiful Memorial day.
May 26: The low this morning was 46 and our high so far at 3pm is 56 here by the lake. Lake Superior has 1ft waves from the SE with a cold wind mostly from the east. We have sun that is cutting through the thinly overcast skies overhead. Skies over the lake have darker clouds. Lake Superior is a silver blue. Happy 39th birthday to my oldest daughter, I love you.
May 25: The skies cleared from the south during the night. By 9am the clouds had moved out and we had clear blue skies and strong winds. Lake Superior has a crisp horizon with a copper band for about 100 yards and then a brilliant blue band all the way to the horizon after that. We have 2-3ft waves and a few whitecaps from the south. Both the quaking aspens and the birch are now leafed out and the balsam aspen buds are quickly turning into little leaves as well. Our low was 43 and we are at 54 at 1pm.
May 24: It is a very windy day in Croftville which has added energy to the lake giving us 3-5ft waves from the SE pounding the rocks on the shore. Partly cloudy skies with cumulus clouds this morning changed to overcast cloudy gray skies this afternoon with bouts of cold rain with really large raindrops. Our low was 41 this morning but at 4pm we have only got to 47 for a high.
May 23: We had a low of 41 and a high of 59 in Croftville by the lake. It was a sunny day with gorgeous blue skies. Lake Superior still had 3 bands of water but they were not as clear today. The nearest band was a copper colored band from all the runoff from the streams and rivers. This melded into a light blue band with translucent green shadows which then blended into a bright blue band with navy shadows and whitecaps further out all the way to the horizon.
May 22: Our low this morning was 46 and our high this afternoon was 59. The lake had 3 horizontal regions this morning. The closest to the shore was a wide copper colored band from the runoff of the rain into the lake from the shore and the rivers. The middle band was a bluish green and almost translucent when sunlight broke through the clouds. The furthest band was a purplish blue with dark navy shadows and whitecaps all the way to the white horizon. Skies were mostly cloudy but with the sun finding its way through between the large cumulus clouds. The winds were fierce and dried the surfaces drenched by yesterday's and last night's rain. Lake Superior had 3-4ft waves from the SSE and the large waves shifted several freighters to the northern route passing by us today. Light rain started up again in the later afternoon.
May 21: We took off to Duluth for a shopping trip this morning. Lake Superior was still, calm, and waveless. By the time we passed Two Harbors, the wind became intense and the rain started coming down in waves and sheets. This lasted all day except for a brief respite between 1pm and 3pm. Then it started up again with even greater fury and followed us all the way to Grand Marais until we arrived home at 10:30pm. As we moved up the shore we saw an ever widening band of chocolate colorerd water on the lake as runoff made its way into Superior.
May 20: It was raining lightly when I got up and it has rained lightly on and off all day long with overcast light gray skies. The air is still. Visibility on the lake is limited to a couple hundred yards. The light gray lake blends seamlessly into the light gray fog which blends seamlessly into the gray light overcast sky. Gitche Gumee is calm and close to shore I can see the rocks on the lake bed. Our low this morning was 47 and we are at 56 at 5pm which will likely be our high.
May 19: There is a cool breeze from the west this morning with a low of 45. Lake Superior has 2-3ft blue waves with olive green shadows from the south. There are a few whitecaps as you look out at the lake towards the pale blue horizon. That pale blue turns into clear sky blue skies overhead. With plenty of sun we will probably eclipse the 65 degree high from yesterday in spite of the steady morning rain.
May 18: The big lake has 2ft greenish gray waves with green shadows from the SE this morning. Overnight we had an amazing lightning show to the south. We got a little light rain but the big storm never made it across the lake to us. Our low this morning is a warm 45 degrees after a cold day yesterday with a high of 53. There are some breaks in the clouds to the south and there are quite dark skies to the west. The quaking aspens have really started to leaf out over the last 2 days. I am sure the rain has helped to open up their buds.
May 17: Our morning low was 41 and we are at 48 degrees at noon. It rained most of the night and the grass was very wet this morning. Lake Superior is a monochrome gray with ripples on a textured surface from the south. Skies are heavily clouded ranging from white, gray, and blackish blue clouds depending on where you look. I have not seen any rain yet today but some of the clouds definitely look like they could be bringing rain with them.
May 16: It rained lightly overnight and the sun never found its way out today with gray overcast skies and a fuzzy horizon line. Lake Superior was gray matching the gray skies. Our low was 41 and our high didn't make it out of the 40's. Mist and rain began in the afternoon.
May 15: Our high was 59 today after starting the day with a 42 degrees low. It was a beautiful day outside with morning and afternoon sun before beginning to cloud up in the later afternoon. Lake Superior was blue with navy shadows.
May 14: After a high of only 53 yesterday we dropped to 41 this morning. We have clear blue skies turning into a white lake horizon. Gitche Gumee has 6" waves from the SE with a highly textured surface and navy shadows.
May 13: Thank goodness the smoke from British Columbia is gone today. I pray it is not a portent of what is to come for this summer. Our low was 44 and we are slowly warming up with 50 degrees at noon. The sly is a pale blue turning to white at the horizon. Lake Superior has 1ft blue waves with navy shadows from the south. Although the gooseberries are the only plant leafed out, the buds on the trees are getting larger and greener each day.
May 12: It was 86 when we left Saint Paul at noon today. As we traveled north we left the world of green trees and blossoms and entered the world of trees just budding. As we passed Hinckley we began to see smoke from the British Columbia wildfires. By the time we got to Duluth we could nnot even see Lake Superior as we went over Thompson Hill. The smoke stayed with us all the way up the shore to Grand Marais but was the worst along with the smell in Duluth. The high was 75 down by the shore in Croftville today.
May 11: We spent today in SE Minnesota picking Cecelia Rose up from Hamline and celebrating Mother's Day and my mom's 90th birthday. It was a gorgeous day with the trees all leafed out and the tractor in the fields everywhere we drove. It was funny to see lilacs in full bloom compared to our liliac at Croftville Road Cottages not being in full bloom until July 4th.
May 10: We have a white sky above the horizon line that morphs into a pale blue clear sky as we pan upwards. The horizon line itself has an optical illusion of 2 narrow navy blue horizontal lines just above the blue lake. Lake Superior has small waves on a textured surface from the south. Our low this morning was 36 but I didn't see any frost. Our high yesterday was 59 but it did not feel that warm.
May 9: After a high of 59 yesterday by the lake we woke up to 43 and sun this morning. We have clear light blue skies and blinding reflections from the rising sun. The air is still. Lake Superior has 1ft metallic blue waves from the SE with navy shadows and white highlights.
May 8: Our low this morning is 44. Lake Superior has 1-2ft bluish gray waves from the SE with copper shadows. There is a swirling breeze. Skies are mostly cloudy but with thin clouds that allow enough sun through to form shadows. It will be interesting to see if the sun burns these thin clouds off or if they will instead thicken and give us light rain like we had in the early evening yesterday.
May 7: The morning was beautiful and sunny except for the bluish black skies to the south and west of us. We watched as those black skies seemed to ebb and flow closer and then further away from Grand Marais. Finally in the early afternoon those black skies arrived and with it the strongest rainfall I have seen this spring. It was coming down in sheets at times. Eventually it turned into a light on and off rain for the remainder of the day. Our high was 61.
May 6: After a sunny afternoon with a high of 60 yesterday we dropped down to 40 degrees this morning along the shore. Lake Superior is a pale blue this morning with a smooth surface and only ripples from the SSE. Skies are clear and a pale blue with a slightly purple tint.
May 5: We woke up to blue skies with a few small cumulus clouds. Lake Superior was calm early this morning but the sun has been adding energy to it and we now have 1ft blue textured waves with green shadows from the south. The air is still here next to the lake. Out low was 36 but frost was still visible on all 3 cottage rooves. We are currently at 45 degrees and climbing. It should be a great day to be outside in the great northwoods.
May 4: We begin the day with gray overcast skies and light rain that began overnight and is continuing this morning. We are at 48 degrees at 11am. There is a gentle breeze. The horizon line is indistinct. Lake Superior has 1-2ft monochrome silver gray waves from the SSE.
May 3: The morning was mist, overcast, and fog. We could not even see the lake horizon. We began with a low of 36 and then everything changed in the afternoon. The sun burned off the fog and we had blue cloudy skies. Temps rose in the late afternoon all the way to 60. (I think that may have been our first 60 degree mark for the spring.) Lake Superior was blue with 1-2ft waves from the SE.
May 2: Our low 36, our high was 51. Lake Superior had 1-2ft bluish gray waves. Skies were overcast here in Croftville.
May 1: Happy May Day. My son told me it is also "United States Loyalty Day" which was started by President Eisenhower in 1958 as a response to the red scare. Funny, Loyalty Day has been in existence for my entire 64 years and today was the first time I had ever heard of it. The morning had light rain, mist, and overcast skies. Our low was a warm 43 overnight and our high was 52. The mist and rain subsided enough in the early afternoon to get up on the roof of a cabin to make a temporary repair but then the light rain came back. Lake Superior had gray 2ft waves.
April 2024
Apr 30: April ends with a light gray overcast sky against a blue gray lake with 1ft waves from the south. There are spots in the sky that are lighter at least hinting at the possibility of sun this afternoon if the overcast burns off. Our low this morning was 36 and we are at 43 at 10am.
Apr 29: We got some light rain during the night and the gray overcast skies look like rain this morning. The winds have subsided but the 3ft waves were maintained through the night. Our low this morning is 36. The waves churned up Lake Superior's bed during the night leaving the lake a chocolate brown close to shore and a beautiful grayish blue further out.
Apr 28: It was a day that we could not tell what was going to happen weather-wise. There were times that the black clouds to the south were on their way to envelope us. There were times it looked like the heavily clouded skies were going to break open and let the sun through. The result was that we never did get any sun and the black clouds with rain never arrived. Lake Superior's waves grew to 3-4ft in the afternoon. The lake was a bluish gray and the noise was thunderous. The wind had powerful gusts whipping the treetops. Our low was 35 and our high was 50.
Apr 27: Rain persisted through the night and into today. Our low was 35 this morning and we are topping out at 511 this afternoon. Rain is heavy at times but there are periods of break in the rain. Skies are cloudy and a gray overcast. Lake Superior is grayish blue with 1-2ft roller waves from the SE.
Apr 26: We watched an orange almost full moon rise over the SE lake horizon around 10pm last night. Our low was 29 this morning but our high made it to 52 by the late afternoon even though there was a cold wind from the west. Lake Superior has 1-2ft deep blue waves from the SE with navy shadows while the sun was out. The lake turned gray as skies began to overcast later in the day and light rain and mist began around 7pm. We sat by a fire and enjoyed the sound of the lake from our covered porch.
Apr 25: I didn't think we would get here but we topped out at 52 degrees down here next to the shore in Croftville. It was so cold this morning, only 28 degrees and heavy frost on our rooves. However, the sun eventually beat the cold air mass and we finally got into the 50;s about 5pm. Skies a clear blue. We have a deep blue lake with 1-2ft waves and navy shadows further out but brown shadows closer to shore for the first 200 yards.
Apr 24: We had clear skies and a full moon last night that lit up the lake as it reflected off the surface. This morning we are at 32 at 8am after a nighttime low of 28. The sun is warming things up quickly and melting the frost off the rooves. Lake Superior has 2ft deep blue waves from the SE with brown shadows near the shore. Once again we have an ore freighter in front of Croftville heading towards Duluth. It is pretty far out judging by its size and the closeness to the horizon line, perhaps 10 miles or more.
Apr 23: It rained during the early evening but by early morning we had a clear sky that we could see the nearly full moon and an ore freight all lit up. Our low was 32 this morning and our high was 50. Skies were mixed with mostly cloudy skies for most of the day. Lake Superior had 2ft deep blue waves from the SE and we saw 2 large freighter pass by Croftville on their way towards Thunder Bay.
Apr 22: Our low was once again 32 but our high jumped to 57 today. Plenty of sun but also a cold wind that required you to be moving outside to be comfortable. The big lake had 2-3ft blue waves from the south.
Apr 21: The skies cleared up yesterday afternoon with lots of sun and warmed us up to a surprising 50 degrees. Overnight we dropped back to 32 but are quickly warming up with hazy blue clear skies. Gitche Gumi has 2-3ft silver blue roller waves with a highly textured surface that almost looks like ice cubes floating on top of the water.
Apr 20: It is 32 this morning in Croftville. Skies are heavily clouded and the air is still. Lake Superior has 1-2ft blue gray waves from the south. There is a narrow dark navy band on the lake right below the lake horizon. Without any prospect for sun, it lookes like we will stay in the low 40's today.
Apr 19: We woke up to 36 degrees and snow flurries this morning. With overcast and cloudy skies we only managed a high of 43 and now are back to 38 at 8pm. Lake Superior had 2-3ft dark bluish gray waves from the south pounding our shores today. The cold temps combined with the wind mad it an uncomfortable day outside.
Apr 18: It was a partly sunny, partly cloudy day today along Lake Superior. It was warm in the sun but cold in the shade with a chilly wind. Lake Superior had 2ft blue waves from the south. Tonight temps are dropping off and the skies are clouding up. We are now down to 43 at 9pm with the moon breaking through the clouds at times.
Apr 17: Today we returned to an overcast Lake Superior. The lake had a gray surface against the gray sky as we traveled up the shore just before sunset.
Apr 16: What a difference a night can make. Last night we were sitting by a fire in the backyard in Stewartville enjoying aa warm spring evening. This morning we have high winds whipping the treetops and a dark gray overcast sky. Rain is expected to begin soon as the temperatures plummeted over night. It will be a good day for staying inside and visiting with family. We will be turning our sights bacl towards Grand Marais and Lake Superior tomorrow.
Apr 15: SE Minnesota is in full time planting season in the fields. I could smell the chemicals and fertilizers being applied to the fields for planting. It was supposed to be colder today but it was again in the 80's in Albert Lea this afternoon. I already miss the cool breezes of Lake Superior. However, maybe in our honor, southern Minnsota is predicting high winds, rain, and highs in the 50's over the next few days.
Apr 14: We arrived to the twin cities yesterday afternoon with 86 degrees in Saint Paul. What a change from the North Shore of Lake Superior. Today our high in Prior Lake was 74 with sunny blue skies. Many more birds calling here but they are coming our way and I look forward to hearing their arrival in Cook County.
Apr 13: We leave Grand Marais this morning for 5 days in SE Minnesota to visit family. Lake Superior is a pale blue with ripples from the south on a smooth surface. There is a narrow dark band on the water just below the horizon line. Skies are blue with a few thin clouds. There was a spectacular sunrise in the east. We are already at 44 this morning at 8am after a morning low of 36. It should be a warm spring day.
Apr 12: Our low was a warm 44 and we had a high of 58 today. Blue skies, a few thin clouds, and lots of sunshine. Lake Superior had 1ft roller waves from the SSW on a textured dark blue surface with silver highlights. The wind was strong today. We watched a tugboat towing a barge up the shore today. That was an unusual sight to see out in the open water.
Apr 11: The day started with a calm and flat pale blue gray Lake Superior with hazy blue skies. Even though our low was 36 there was still frost on the rooves. As the day progresses the winds really picked up and our high by late afternoon was 51. However, with the wind came overcast skies and then thunderheads. We had sprinkles and light rain occasionally through the afternoon. We drove up to Thunder Bay to celebrate our son's birthday and it rained the whole time from Grand Portage on.
Apr 10: Lake Superior was completely still this morning and only had ripples on it later in the afternoon. The surface was a pale blue. The sky sometimes had light rain, sometimes was overcast, and sometimes had some sun poking through the clouds. Our low this morning was 34 and our high was 51 late in the afternoon when some sun spiked the temperatures.
Apr 9: It was overcast all day long with light rain or mist most of the morning and a little mist during the afternoon. Lake Superior had 1-2ft bluish gray waves coming straight in from the SSE. Our temperature range was 39 to 46. Near sunset we could see clearing skies to the SW.
Apr 8: Wow, we had a steady rain through the night and through this morning with intermittent rain through the afternoon. Because of the heavily overcast skies, the 75% eclipse this afternoon in Grand Marais was a non-event. Our low this morning was 41 and our high this afternoon was 42. The rain served as a temperature buffer. Lake Superior had Lake Superior had 2ft brownish gray waves from the SE and gusty winds pelting you with rain.
Apr 7: It was a beautiful but windy Sunday. Lake Superior had 2-4ft waves from the SE. There were 2 horizontal bands, a brownish band close to the shore and a bright blue band further out. Our low this morning was 35 and we topped out at 51.
Apr 6: It was a low of 29 and a high of 49 down here along the lake. A stunningly beautiful day we 2ft blue waves with navy shadows and silver blue highlights from the SE. Skies overhead are a deep sky blue and there was a cold wind blowing off the lake.
Apr 5: It was a beautiful spring day along Lake Superior in Croftville. We had 1-2ft blue waves with navy shadows and silver highlights from the south. Skies were blue with a crisp white lake horizon, Our low was 34 and our high was 49.
Apr 4: With an overnight low of 34 we slowly warmed up to an amazing 50 degrees outside today in spite of partly cloudy skies and some very dark clouds to the south and west. I hope many people had the gift of spending a very spring-like feeling day outside. We saw several freighters pass by during the day and night probably because of the poorer weather conditions on the south side of Lake Superior. We had 2-3ft gray waves from the south today.
Apr 3:We dropped briefly to 33 overnight but most of the night and today resided in the low 40's. We could see blackish blue skies across the lake. Wisconsin and the UP are getting clobbered with lake effect snow. The winds are powerful today and made our garbage and recycling bins look like a modern art sculpture after tossing them about. Lake Superior was mostly gray with greenish dark shadows and 2-3ft roller wves from the SE. We could see the gusts of wind as they passed over the lake surface and actually helped keep the waves subdued along our shore.
Apr 2: Lake Superior had 2-3ft waves from the SE today as wind began to add energy to the lake. Overcast skies burned off in the morning to give us blue skies, sun, and a blue lake in the afternoon. Our low was 29 and our high 42. However, it is still a warm night with 41 degrees at 9pm hear alongside the big lake.
Apr 1: Skies cleared yesterday afternoon for a beautiful Easter Sunday and a bright blue Lake Superior. Temps rose all the way to 45 with the sun out in full force. This morning we have a low of 28 and still air. Lake Superior has 1-2ft gray waves with blue green shadows from the SE. Skies are a mix of clouds and light gray overcast.
March 2024
Mar 31: Happy Easter morning. Our low overnight was 34 degrees. The air is still and Lake Superior has small oblique waves from the SSW on its monotone gray surface. The skies to the south are dark clouds and the lake horizon is almost black. Overhead and to the north the skies are a heavy white overcast. Through the dark clouds a few glimmers of sun rays reflect off the gray lake surface.
Mar 30:Our temperatures ranged from 32 to 42 degrees today. After an inch of light fluffy snow during the night, Lake Superior had 2-3ft bluish gray waves. Skies are a gray overcast with patches of sun showing up occasionally. Our snow continues to melt but except for the rooves and roadways, most places are still snow covered.
Mar 29: We have a gray lake with small waves from the south today. Skies are a hazy blue but the sun is out melting our snow. We started the day at 18 but quickly got up to freezing. Right now we have 33 degrees, wet roads, and the sound of water dripping off the rooves.
Mar 28: Today ended a week of turmoil around our dependable little Escape. We were able to pick it up in Duluth today with a new fuel pump module and with a sense of dependability that we have gotten used to with this vehicle for the last 3 years. However, I could not get back in time for Maundy Thursday and the stripping of the altar. Our low was 20 and our high 36. The sun was warm. It burned off a few small white clouds this morning and the clear blue skies, the reflections off Lake Superior, and the reflections off the snow made it a very, very bright day. We watched several ore freights leaving and heading out from the Duluth harbor.
Mar 27: We had a morning low of 17 and our afternoon high is 28. Except for occasional and very brief snow squalls, the snow has ended. Skies are an overcast white. Lake Superior has 3-4ft blue green waves from the south with impressive white caps as they break near the shore.
Mar 26: Well, it sleeted during the night, snowed lightly during the morning, and then snowed heavily during the afternoon. We had strong winds whipping the tops of the trees. Lake Superior was gray with limited visibility and 2-4ft waves. Our high today was in the morning with 31 degrees and it has been dropping slowly ever since. It is now 21 degrees at 11pm.
Mar 25: Our morning low was 27 and our high today was 34. The snow began about 11am yesterday and has continued on and off ever since. By evening we had about a half inch accumulation. By morning we had about 3 inches. At 11pm we have about 5-6 inches accumulation total of wet snow down next to the lake in Croftville. I have heard that up on the hill they have had twice that. Lake Superior had a band of brownish water this morning close to shore and greenish blue water further out with 2-3ft waves.
Mar 24: Our low this morning is 27. Our skies turned to gray overcast during the night. Lake Superior has 1-2ft grayish green waves coming straight in from the SSE. The weather reports say the snow is to begin this afternoon. We will wait and see.
Mar 23: We headed back to Duluth today to return our rental car. My son followed me with his pickup. We heard that they will not be able to look at our car until Wednesday unless there is a cancellation. Skies are blue. Lake Superior is blue. The temps were in the teens but warmed up to the mid 30's. They are predicting a blizzard for Minnesota beginning tomorrow and through Monday.
Mar 22: We took a shopping trip to Duluth today. We saw a couple of inches of light fluffy snow had fallen beginning around Silver Bay. We ended up having car trouble, towing our car to a dealer, renting a rental car, cutting our shopping short before driving back home. Since it was Friday afternoon there was no one available to diagnose our care until next week. It was a cold day with mostly blue skies, a morning low of 11,
and a high in the 20's. Lake Superior was blue with small waves.
Mar 21: It is another cold day with cold winds for our third day of spring. We have blue skies with a few thin white clouds. The sky become a bright white as we approach the crisp lake horizon. Lake Superior is a bright deep blue with dark olive shadows and white highlights on the crests and whitecaps of the 1-2ft waves from the south. The low was a brisk 8 degrees and we have climbed to 27 at 3pm.
Mar 20: Lake Superior is a deep blue with green shadows further out. We have a choopy looking horizon line suggesting large waves out there. However, close to shore we have just ripples from the SSE coming to the shore, just large enough to hear the lapping on the rocks. There are some low thin clouds across and partly over the lake, but overhead we have deep sky blue skies. After hitting 36 yesterday afternoon we had a frigid cold of 11 this morning. I see a texture on the lake surface that may be little fragments of ice floating in the water. That is the first sign of ice on the lake surface in Croftville this winter even though spring officially began yesterday. It has been a crazy year for weather.
Mar 19: Our high was 29 yesterday and we dropped to 18 late last evening before temps began rising during the night. At 9am we are at 35 degrees with gray overcast cloudy skies. Over Kitche Kami we have a dark horizon to the west end and a white horizon to the east. We have 2ft grayish blue roller waves from the south.
Mar 18: It was the coldest night we have seen for a while with temps dropping to just 14. I think that is actually "below average" for this date but we have not heard much of that term this past winter. There is some cloud cover over the lake and near the lake horizon but overhead we have clear blue skies and the sun has already risen above the clouds. The air is still still this morning but that may change as the sun pumps energy into our atmosphere. Lake Superior is blue on a smooth surface with small roller waves from the SSE coming into shore.
Mar 17: We are back to colder temps today with a morning low of 18 and so far our high is 26 degrees at 3pm. We have cloudy and overcast gray and white skies today with wind gusts coming off the hill and spreading out over the lake surface. Lake Superior is a bluish gray with small waves coming in at a very oblique angle from the SSW.
Mar 16: We had a little rain overnight, at least enough to get the sidewalks and roads wet. That was coupled with a few snow flurries this morning but no accumulation. Looking across the lake there are heavy gray bottomed cumulus clouds all the way to the horizon. Our low was 34 this morning. Yesterday we got to 42 and today we topped out at 39. There were strong winds last night and this morning but have tapered off this afternoon. Likewise, the gray waves with the green shadows from the SE have subsided down to 2ft waves this evening.
Mar 15: We have clear blue skies overhead and lots of a bright warming sun on this Ides of March. However, to the south across the lake in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula there is a dark almost black front of cumulus clouds. I don't know if this is coming our way but Lake Superior does have gale warnings posted for today. Right now we just have small blue waves on a textured surface from the SSE with navy shadows. With each passing day, it looks more and more like this was the winter that never was. Even though we can still get snow, it would be the variety of heavy wet stuff that is back breaking but will melt within a few days. After spiking to 44 late yesterday afternoon, our morning low was 28 degrees.
Mar 14: The low this morning was back to 32. Lake Superior has dark blue 2ft waves from SE with almost black shadows and bright refelecting sunshine off the crests. We have partly cloudy skies with cumulus clouds and plenty fo sun. Our high yesterday was 47 but at 39 at 2pm it doesn't look like we will get there today. It is a great day to be outside so what am I doing inside?
Mar 13: Our low was 32 this morning. We have clear blue skies over the land and blue skies with thin cirrus clouds over the lake that meld into a fuzzy white horizon line. Lake Superior is blue with dark blue shadows and with small waves from the SSE that brush against the shore rocks. The bright reflections of the sun off the lake make the lake surfaces near those relfactions look black in contrast. The iare is still and we are at 39 degrees at 10am.
Mar 12: We managed a high of 47 yesterday and started our morning with clear blue skies and 32 on our way to a high this afternoon of 47 again. Is this really March? The most unusual winter I have ever experienced along the shore continues. Lake Superior has 2ft bright blue waves with navy shadows from the south.
Mar 11: Our morning begins with 25 degrees as the sun rises on clear blue skies. The lake horizon is a fuzzy white which gradually turns to blue skies further up in the sky. Lake Superior has just small blue waves from the south. The air is still.
Mar 10: We started with 25 degrees but are warming quickly with the sun. We are at 38 at 1pm. We have light sky blue clear blue skies that fade to white at the lake horizon. Lake Superior is a deep blue with 2ft waves and silver highlights from the south. The exception is where the sun if reflecting off the lake that has blinding white and black affect on the sky and lake surface.
Mar 9: It is another beautiful sunny day with clear blue skies. The wind is blowing onto the lake and we can watch the gusts travel out on the highly textured bright blue surface. The low was 24 this morning and the wind keeps it cool outside in the shade, but the March sun has just too much power to not warm things up. We are currently at 41 degrees at 3pm which may be our high. Lake Superior has 1 ft waves from the SSE with navy shadows.
Mar 8: Yesterday's high was 45. Today's high was 39. Our low this morning was 24. It was a beautiful spring-like day with blue skies and sun. There were only a few wispy high clouds. Last night at sunset for about 10 minutes Lake Superior was purple and I mean purple. Not just with purple tints, but Minnesota Viking purple. Today we have 1-2ft sky blue waves with dark navy shadows from the south on a highly textured lake suface. There is a gentle breeze and a crisp white lake horizon that turns sky blue as you gaze above the horizon.
Mar 7: We topped out at 36 yesterday and temps stayed almost static dropping only 3 degrees to 33 overnight. Temperatures are rising quickly today and we are a 42 degrees at noon. Skies a a dark gray overcast and it looks like possible rain. There is a small shimmer from the sun in the clouds over the lake and the horizon is bright white showing possible good weather in the UP. Lake Superior has 2ft silver blue waves with green shadows from the SSE. The air is still.
Mar 6: Lake Superior is a stunning metallic blue this morning with 2-3ft waves from the SSE hitting straight into our shore. There is a cold wind off the lake and it is outright brisk in the shade without the sun's rays to keep you warm. There is plenty of sun but the clouds come and go. We are at 36 at noon after beginning the day at 26. Yesterday's high was 39.
Mar 5: It is a beautiful sunny morning with clear blue skies. Ther is just a gentle breeze in the air. Gitche Gami is a bright blue with navy shadows with a highly textured surface and just ripples this morning from the SSE. We have a crisp white lake horizon line. Early this morning I got to watch the half moon rise above the horizon in the SE sky and move across the night sky dropping below the horizon around sunrise.
Mar 4: We had rain yesterday afternoon and a high of 43 along Lake Superior. The winds were powerful and the wind and rain ushered in large waves and lightning. The lightning lit up the sky. During the night the skies cleared and the waning half moon rose up over the SE sky. This morning we have blue skies with some high cirrus clouds and a warm sun. The low was a warm 34. Lake Superior has 3-4ft blue green waves from the south with olive shadows and lots of whitecaps further out. Close in the water looks muddy due to the churning of the lake bottom.
Mar 3: We had strong winds during the night but they have let up a bit this morning. Lake Superior has 3ft grayish blue monochrome waves from the SE this morning. The skies are a light gray overcast except at the lake horizon where the sky is a narrow band of white against the crisp horizon line. Our high was 42 yesterday but it felt even warmer. Overnight it dropped only 3 degrees to 39.
Mar 2: Lake Superior is a pale blue with 1ft waves from the SSE on a textured surface. Off to the east the sun's rays are blinding as they reflect off the lake. There are some isolated high thin clouds over the lake and a little bit of haze in the blue skies. We had 44 yesterday and cooled to 30 overnight. We are already to 36 at 9am.
Mar 1: Well, March is coming in like a lamb. After the cold start yesterday morning at 1 below, we have been rising slowly all day yesterday, through the night, and into today. Currently we are at 41 degrees at 2pm. The blue skies are hazy but letting plenty of sun through to make shadows. The air is still. The lake horizon if a fuzzy brilliant white. Kitche Kami has 2ft blue waves from the SE with sort of dirty green shadows.
February 2024
Feb 29: Happy Leap Day. We dropped to below zero for the first time in 2024 this morning with 1 below next to Lake Superior. The air is still. There is plenty of sun in the blue albeit hazy skies. Lake Superior is calm with a grayish blue but textured surface. The dark cloud mass over the lake from steam rising with the cold temperatures continues to amass. Temps are rising and we are at 10 degrees at 10am.
Feb 28: It was 0 degrees for our low this morning. Lake Superior's blue surface had the little curliques of steam off of it and we can see the beginnings of a cloud mass forming over the center of the lake that we expect with below zero temperatures. Wave-wise, we have 1ft waves from the south. It stayed cold all day and our high was 15 in the afternoon before temps began another descent. The snowstorm of yesterday resulted in just a dusting of snow on the grass. The strong winds effectively blew all the snow off the roads, driveways, sidewalks, and patios before subsiding.
Feb 27: We traveled to Duluth today for the dredded shopping trip at the big box stores. On the way we visited a sick dear friend in hospice in Two Harbors. He looked good, at peace, and thankful for 67 years of marriage. He was joking and talked about the "amazing ride" his life has been and we said our tearful goddbyes. It was 41 degrees on our way to a 45 degree high here in Grand Marais. At 1pm temps began to drop. By 3pm we were down to 20 degrees, high winds, and a light snowy sleet began to come down. With the winds the lake began to swell with 3-4ft waves. On the trip home temps continued to drop and although the snow seemed heavy, we only ended up with a dusting on the ground. I think all the snow just blew into the lake.
Feb 26: We have never seen a winter like this before. It was 44 degrees today here on Croftville Road after a 23 degrees overnight. There was frost on the rooves this morning that quickly disappeared as the sun rose. Lake Superior had blue 2-3ft waves from the SSE with silver highlights and green shadows.
Feb 25: After a fairly cold afternoon yesterday temps started rising in the evening and was 33 degrees by midnight. By morning we are at 35 degrees. There was some overcast during the evening preventing us from a good view of the full moon during the night. However, this morning we have blue skies but with still some clouds oveer the lake. Lake Superior has 2ft waves from the south with a dark gray surface, dark green shadows, and silver highlights.
Feb 24: We dropped to 10 overnight but are quickly warming up today with partly cloudy, partly sunny skies. We are at 29 at 1pm. There is a good wind today which is adding energy to the waves. Lake Superior has massive 3-4ft bright blue waves with transluscent green shadows from the south. The nearly full moon last night lit up the lake and land in the clear night skies.
Feb 23: What a change in weather overnight. Yesterday we had a high of 45 and our low this morning was 12 degrees. Today we only managed of high of 19 with clear skies and sun. Lake Superior has 2ft bright blue waves from the SE.
Feb 22: We did not even get down to freezing last night with an overnight low of 33. Not even frost on the rooves. At 11:00 we have already matched yesterday's high of 40 degrees. Skies were lightly overcast at sunrise but quickly burned off to clear blue skies. The air is still today and you can feel the power of the sun as it gets higher in the sky on your face. Lake Superior is a metallic blue with silver highlights and small waves from the south.
Feb 21: After a high of 37 yesterday afternoon we just hit 40 degrees today at 1pm and still climbing. Our low this morning was 26. Skies are blue with a few white high cirrus clouds. The air is still and it is a great day to be outdoors. The big lake has 1ft bright blue waves from the SE with some blinding silver reflections by the sun.
Feb 20: Temps stayed right at 26 degrees all night. This morning it is 26 with blue skies, lots of sun reflecting light off the lake surface, and a few high cirrus clouds. The lake horizon is crisp. Lake Superior had 1ft blue waves from the SE with greeish brown shadows.
Feb 19: Our high today was 27 after a frigid start of 12 degrees during the night but had warmed up to 24 by morning. Lake Superior had 1-2ft light blue waves from the SE.
Feb 18: Surprisingly, we had a high of 29 yesterday. Overnight we had a low of 24 and now this afternoon we saw 35 for our high. The sun is getting higher in the air now and when the sun is out like it was this afternoon, it is hard to keep those temperatures down. We had an intense snow squall for only 5 minutes this morning. It came down so heavy you could barely see the lake. However, even with that intensity we had just a dusting on the ground when it ended. the sun this afternoon made short work of that. Lake Superior has blue 2-3ft waves from the south.
Feb 17: The waves picked up during the night. We have 3-4ft waves from the south crashing into the shore. The lake is a metallic blue with green transluscent shadows on the breaking waves. The skies are low hanging clouds. There are a couple spots on the lake that the sun is trying to break though leaving brilliant reflections off the water. We had a dusting of snow overnight. With a 9 degree low the spray from the waves is freezing on the rocks. This normally common event is rare this winter. We are up to 20 degrees at 11am but the wind chills you to the bone.
Feb 16: We have blue skies and sun today with just a few thin cloudbanks over the lake. Lake Superior is bright blue with a textured surface and navy shadows. The big lake has ripples from the SSW. We can see gusts of wind hitting the surface of the lake in places. After a high of 26 yesterday, the clear skies dropped temperatures all the way down to 13 this morning. It looks like our high was 17 at 3pm.
Feb 15: Temps dropped through the night with a morning low this morning od 24 degrees. It doesn't appear we will get much warmer than this today. We are now at 25 degrees at noon. We had light fluffy snow coming down this morning. Big clumpy flakes that were so pretty. We only had about a half inch of acculmulation total close to the lake. The skies are mostly cloudy with small patches of blue and sun. Lake Superior was quiet during the night but now has 1ft waves from the SSW brushing the shore. There are dark skies on the lake horizon. The lake surface is an assrtment of grays and silvers.
Feb 14: It is official. Our thaw that started on Jan 23 ended on Feb 12 when our high for yesterday only managed 29 degrees. We had one complete day below freezing and then today the thaw was back with a 36 degrees high after a morning low of 26. Today we had mostly overcast skies with sunlight once in a while. Lake Superior was a pale blue gray with 1-2ft waves down here near the shore in Croftville.
Feb 13: Our high yesterday was 33 here in Croftville to extend the January thaw. I know I said this before, but I think the January thaw will come to an end today. Our low this morning was 21 and we are currently at 28 degrees at 2pm. We have 1-2ft silver gray waves from the SE with dark green shadows. There is a gentle breeze in the air today. Skies are solid white overcast.
Feb 12: Our low was 27 after a high of 32 yesterday. We are already at 32 at 11am this morning. We got about a half inch of snow overnight, just enough to have Joey sweep the sidewalks and steps. We have dark cumulus cloudy skies and still air today. Lake Superior is gray and smooth with 1ft roller waves from the SE. There are small pockets where the sunlight can poke through to the lake surface lighting it up and reflecting the little direct sunlight we have off that gray surface.
Feb 11: I was wrong yesterday about the end of our thaw. We did manage to get to 33 degrees for our high yesterday and it looks like our high here along the lake will get above freezing again today so our January thaw that began on Jan 23 continues. Our low next to the lake was 23 during the night but we have quickly warmed to 31 degrees at noon. We got about 1" of light fluffy snow early this morning. Skies are now cloudy with small patches of blue breaking through. Lake Superior has 1ft gray waves with dark gray shadows on a highly textured surface from the south.
Feb 10: After a high of 41 yesterday morning and a little light rain, temps began to drop slowly in the afternoon. We saw some snow flurries and finally dropped below freezing at 9pm. This morning we woke up to 23 degrees with a dusting of snow on the ground. It is unlikely we will get out of the 20's today meaning our thaw starting on Jan 23 and continuing through Feb 9 is over. Skies are overcast today on Croftville Road with bands of lighter overcast. Kitche Kami is a dark bluish gray against a lighter crisp lake horizon. We have 1ft waves from the south on a textured surface breaking into our rocks.
Feb 9: With the rain and warm temps yesterday, the last of our snow disappeared yesterday except for the piles from snow removal. We had a high of 43 and woke up to a morning low of 38 this morning. The skies are a dark overcast and have the feel of rain. Lake Superior has 3-4ft greenish gray wave breaking on the shore from the south. Looking out at the lake you can see some whitecaps further out suggesting the waves are even larger out there. In spite of the overcast, there is a distinct horizon line with a very dark band of clouds just above it.
Feb 8: Down by the shore we only dropped to 36 this morning and were back to 38 by morning. We have already matched yesterday's high of 41 at noon today. We have had bouts of rain fince 4pm yesterday. It was raining pretty steady when I left the resort ar 8am. The skies are a light gray overcast. There is a light wind but with the swirling it is hard to specify its direction. 2ft blue gray waves with dark green shadows are buffeying the Croftville shore. There are times the overcast thins over the lake making me think the sun has a chance to poke through but no. It feels like it could be a late April shower day.
Feb 7: It dropped to 31 during the night but was back up to 34 by morning. No frost this morning. The remaining snow and ice along the roads continue to melt as we get ready for a predicted rain tomorrow. The stars came out briefly during the night but we were back to a solid light gray overcast by morning. Lake Superior has loud 2ft light blue waves with green shadows from the SE.
Feb 6: It was 30 this morning after a high of 42 yesterday in Croftville. It is totally still this morning with gray overcast skies, no breeze, and a rare calm silver blue Lake Superior. There is a thinning in the clouds over the lake near the horizon that allowed an amazing color show of reds, oranges, yellows and grays as the sun tried to make its presence known. Earler this morning about 4:30am the waning crescent moon popped up as a orange orb and reflection just above the horizon before disappearing behind the cloud cover.
Feb 5: It stayed above freezing last night with a low of 33 degrees. We are already to 37 at 8am. The air is quite still this morning. There is no movement in the trees. Lake Superior is quiet, calm, and flat this morning with a bluish gray surface. Skies are a dark gray overcast and it feels like it could rain at any moment.
Feb 4: We had a low of 24 and a high of 39 today. There was plenty of sun and blue sky along with a few clouds. Out on the lake there was a bank of fog that moved out and in but never made it entirely to the shore. Lake Superior has 1ft blue and gray waves from the south. The air has a gentle breeze with no disticnt direction. And of course, the thaw that began on Jan 23 still continues down here by the lake in Croftville.
Feb 3: I could see the half moon for some of the early morning hours but by the time I got up, skies were a gray overcast once again. It was 24 this morning with frost on the rooves. This afternoon we managed to get to 33 degrees. lake Superior is a silver gray with dark blue shadows on its 1ft waves from the ssw.
Feb 2: My son told me that the groundhog prognosticators officially are only 39% accurate. Should they change the story around and improve their result to 61%? If the groundhog sees his shadow he stays outside in the sun ready for an early spring. If the groundhog doesn't see his shadow the chill in the air from the overcast skies drives him back inside as he prepares for another 6 weeks of winter. We had 24 this morning and with clearing blue skies the temps have been rising with the sun. Lake Superior has 1-2ft bright blue waves from the SE. There is a gentle swirling breeze which offsets the warmth of the sun. Our high so far this afternoon is 35.
Feb 1: Our January thaw has now moved in February. We had 32 last night and we rose to 42 this afternoon. Lake Superior has 2-3ft gray waves breaking on the shore from the SE.
January 2024
Jan 31: The skies cleared for awhile during the night allowing the moon to come out and light up the lake and our remaining snow. However, by morning the overcast gray skies were back in full force. Lake Superior has 2-3ft gray waves pounding the shore from the south with dark blue green shadows against the white breaking crests as they approach the shore. Our low last night was 33 degrees as we head into another day into the upper 30's. I know that January thaws can be expected, but this thaw began on Jan 22. A 10 day thaw in January is not something to be expected in Grand Marais.
Jan 30: The skies are gray overcast except in the west where it looks like the sun is trying to break out. Lake Superior is a monochrome gray with just ripples on its surface. There is small air movement but hard to discern its direction. Temps stayed above freezing last night and have topped out at 39 here next to the lake in Croftville.
Jan 29: The clear skies disappeared compltely during the night. We could see the moon early on and then everything clouded up. Today we were completely overcast and gray. We topped out at 38 today after starting at 27 this morning. Lake Superior had 2-3ft gray waves from the SSE crashing onto our rocks.
Jan 28: The sun came out mid morning. It is so good to see blue skies with a smattering of white cumulus clouds dotting the sky. As the afetrnoon progresses the skies are clouding up over the water. Kitche Gami has 1-2ft silver gray waves with dark gray shadows from the south. Our low was 29 and we are currently at 35 degrees at 3pm. The sunshine has caused considerable melting on the roads and the rooftops.
Jan 27: We have cloudy skies with no breaks over the lake and gray overcast skies over the land. Lake Superior has 1-2ft monochromatic gray waves from the south. The air is still and it almost feels like there is a mist in the air. Our overnight low was 34 degrees and our current temperature is a static 36.
Jan 26: Our thaw continues. Our low was 33 and our high 37 today. Overcast skies, still air, and 1ft gray waves from the SE. Snow fell for awhile in the late morning but it was too warm to stick.
Jan 25: Our low was 33 overnight and our high is 37 today. We have light gray overcast skies and a brief burst of lake effect snow just enough to cover the sidewalks. The air is completely still. The big lake is a silver gray with greenish gray shadows with 1ft waves from the SSE. Noy much melting taking place without any sun shining.
Jan 24: There was about a half inch or less of snow that aacuumulated last night. Our high today was 35 as the thaw that was hinted at yesterday took a real hold on us today. Our low this morning was 30. Skies are a grey overcast and you can even feel mist in the air. The air was still and Lake Superior was gray with 1ft waves from the SSE.
Jan 23: You can feel a change in the air today. It was 28 when I got up. Temps stayed mostly static but squeeked out a high of 32 to begin our thaw. Skies are overcast and cloudy. Waves are 1ft gray waves on a relatively calm Gitche Gumee.
Jan 22: We had about a half inch of snow overnight. Not enough to get out the snow blower but enough that had to have my son shovel and sweep the sidewalks. Skies are overcast although there are places that look like the sun might try to break through. We were 21 this morning and our high this afternoon appears to be 31. We expect several thaw days coming up this week. Lake Superior is a dark blue with 2ft waves coming straight in from the SSE.
Jan 21: We were returning today from southern Minnesota. We began the morning at 23 in Prior Lake and ended our day with 28 when we pulled down on Croftville Road. It should feel good to have warmer temperatures compared to the last week, but it doesn't because of the relentless wind. I will take 0 degres, no wind, and sun any day over 23 dgrees, overcast skies, and powerful winds to pull away our body heat. It was really cold standing outside endurin the wind while putting on gas. My son tell me we had 5-6ft waves pounding our shore. They had subsided to 3-4ft waves by the time we got home.
Jan 20: After a high of 12 yesterday, we only dropped to 1 above ending our string of below zero lows here by the shore. The air is still this morning. The skies overhead are clear blue. Gitche Gami is a bright blue with navy shadows on a highly textured lake surface with only small waves from the SE. The cloud mass over the lake from the cold is dissipating but there is still a little sea smoke rising off the lake surface.
Jan 19: Happy Birthday to Cecelia Rose. It is hard to believe that we have been in Croftville for over 20 years but our daughter's age always serves as our reminder. It dropped to 6 below last night but the clear blue skies and sun are quickly warming things up. We are at 7 degrees at 11am. Lake Superior is bright blue with navy shadows and blinding silver and white reflections in the direction of the sun. There are a few high thin white clouds over the lake. The lake horizon is gray with the cloudmass from the cold temps still visible. No wind so it is a great day to be outdoors.
Jan 18: The skies are blue with a few high thin white clouds. The sun has blinding white reflections on what is otherwise a blue lake with small waves from the south. The lake horizon is now a pale white as the cloud mass that grew over the lake from the sea smoke is beginning to dissipate. Temps have rose quickly today from the 6 below we began the morning with. We are at 9 degrees already at 1pm with still air. It is quite pleasant to be outdoors in the sun.
Jan 17: Lake Superior has 1-2ft gray and blue waves from the south with greenish shadows today. Overhead we have high clouds covering the skies except for a heavy dark cloud mass directly over the center of the lake. Our low was minus 6 down on the shore which is very cold when you think it is next to an unfrozen body of water. The little sun we had through those high clouds warmed us up all the way to 9 above.
Jan 16: Another bitterly cold day in Croftville with a temperature range from 4 below to 4 above. We had a light dusting of snow overnight which was surprising for such cold temps. Lake Superior again had 2-3ft waves crashing the shore from the south. Skies today were a mix of clouds, a litle sun, and overcast. Once again there was a massive cloud over the lake with steam rising off that lake surface.
Jan 15: The below zero stuff arrived last night. We were at 6 below this morning, warmed up to 5 above, and have just dropped berlow zero again at 5pm. Skies were clear blue over the land. It was still this morning but the winds have picked up again this afternoon. A huge cloud mass is amassing over the lake with stean rising off the lake surface. We had 2-3ft gray blue waves from the south with green shadows.
Jan 14: It was 3 degrees when I got up today. Sometime later this morning we hit our low of 1 before rebounding to a high this afternoon of 9. Currently we are at 5 just after sunset. The winds were gone today making it reasonably comfortable outside except for the occasional gust coming off the hill from the north and spreading out over the lake surface. We had 1-2ft gray waves from the SSE most of the day. The skies were a gray overcast but we could see clouds across the lake in the UP.
Jan 13: The winds really picked up last night and it is impressive watching the gusts come over the sawtooth mountains and buffet the shore from the north. We have 3-5ft light bluish gray waves from the SSE. This is with the winds partially subduing them. Further out the waves are much bigger with whitecaps and with rising steam making the lake look almost blurry. With the wind also came much colder temps with a morning temperautre of 3 dgrees this morning. Skies are a white overcast. We was 2 freighters all lit up passing by Croftville about 2 miles from the shore.
Jan 12: Our morning low was 21 and our high 24. Temps have been falling and we are now at 16 at 7pm. We had about 5" of fresh snow here by the lake last night. Flurries continued all day but no accumulation. Lake Superior had 3ft waves coming straight in from the SSE melting the snow on the rocks.
Jan 11: Our temperature ranged from 19 to 23 today. We had overcast gray skies that looked like it should snow. The snow finally began falling here in Croftville about 8pm. It is coming down quite steady. Large blue gray waves from the SE are pounding the shore. Looks like shoveling and snowblowing will be the order of business for tomorrow.
Jan 10: Our low was 21 and our high 35 today. We traveled to Duluth today and was met with snow begginning in Lake County and all the way to Duluth. The same was true for our trip home although stretches from Silver Creek Tunnel to Silver Bay had the heaviest snow coming down. Skies were gray, Lake Superior was gray. Snow began finally in Grand Marais after 11pm.
Jan 9: We had light snow during the night with 1.5" of fresh snow accumulated. Our low was at midnight with 23 degrees. Temps rose overnight to 31 by morning and then hovered in the upper 20's and lower 30's the rest of the day. Our high was 32. Skies were a gray overcast. Lake Superior was a blue gray with 2ft waves from the SE.
Jan 8: We were at 10 degrees this morning with temps slowly rising all day. We are currently at 23 at 5pm which is our high for today. Skies were a gray overcast and looked like snow but non has fallen today. Lake Superior was a blue gray with 2ft waves breaking with whitecaps from the SSE.
Jan 7: We got an additional dusting or possibly an extra half inch of snow during the night. Our low overnight was around 20, our high around 25, and we are already down to 13 this evening at 9pm. The snow removal work from yesterday really wore me out and I napped most of the afternoon away.
Jan 6: We got 3" of snow last night and a rainy mist most of today. It was 24 at midnight, 31 at daybreak, and an afternoon high of 34. The result is 3-4" of very wet heavy snow. It was easy to shovel and snowblow early in the day and almost impossible by the end of the day. Skies were a ligth gray overcast. Winds had strong gusts from the south. Lake Superior had 3ft metallic waves.
Jan 5: We are waiting for our first real snowfall of the season to start tonight. Hard to believe that down here by the lake in Croftville, the most snow we have seen this winter was less than a half inch. So we are busy making sure we have everything put away, shovels ready, sand and salt ready, and the snow blower ready. It was a pleasant day outside with light overcast skies and still air. Lake Superior had small grayish blue waves. Our low this morning was 23 and our afternooon high was 26.
Jan 4: Our low of 24 for yesterday morning turned out to be our high for the daytime yesterday as temperatures slowly dropped all day long. Our low overnight was 8 and we have now warmed up to 14 at noon. Lake Superior is a grayish blue with navy highlights with only rippples on the surface from SSW. Skies are partly sunny except for the dark black sky at the lake horizon.
Jan 3: Our low is 24 this morning. At 8am we are still waiting for the sun to come out but the skies are cloud covered. Lake Superior is a blusih gray this morning with ripples from the SE. The air is still and we had a dusting of snow overnight.
Jan 2: It is so interesting to watch the sun try to rise above the cloudbanks on the horizon in near the solstice when the days are so short. The sun just doesn't get very high in the sky this time of year. Today it was 10am before it finally got high enough in the sky to peak over the heavy cloudbank that was over the UP and northern Wisconsin. Our low this morning was 24. Our high was 32. Skies except over the horizon were partly cloudy with plenty of sun. The air was still so it was comfortable to be outdoors. Lake Superior has 3-4ft steel blue waves breaking onto the shore from the south.
Jan 1: Welcome 2024. We had a high of 29 today after a morning low of 15. Skies are partly sunny today with bands of clouds moving across the sky. By late afternoon most of the sun had been replaced by dark overcast skies. We had strong winds today from the east and powerful 2-4ft metallic gray waves from the south. We are still waiting for snow. What an unusaul winter.