Lake Erie had 95% ice cover this winter. What it means for the environment [Video]

As southwestern Ontario continues to thaw with milder temperatures, it’s hard to believe just last week we were at the tail end of a lengthy cold snap. 

So much so that Lake Erie reached its winter peak for this season for ice coverage.

Roughly 95 per cent of the lake was covered in ice on Feb. 18, according to satellite data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It’s receded a bit since then as the weather has warmed up.

Overall, that’s a stark contrast from this time last year when only 36 per cent of the lake was iced over.

The historical average for Lake Erie ice coverage in February is at 60 per cent.

Lake Erie last …