Dear Tom,
We often drive from Chicago to Indiana Dunes State Park around the bottom of Lake Michigan. The lake is always warmer there than at Chicago's beaches. Can you explain this?
The Browning Family
Dear Browning Family,
As the crow flies, the distance from Chicago's beaches to the magnificent beaches at Indiana Dunes State Park is 35 miles, but distance isn't the explanation for water temperature difference at the two locations. It's due to the orientation of the lake's shoreline relative to the wind direction.
Winds usually blow from the southwest or west on hot (good swimming) days. Chicago's shoreline faces east, whereas the shore at Indiana Dunes State Park faces northwest. At Chicago, southwest or west winds push warm surface water away from the shore; colder "deep" water wells up to replace it. At the Dunes beaches, those same winds push warm surface water to the shore.
We often drive from Chicago to Indiana Dunes State Park around the bottom of Lake Michigan. The lake is always warmer there than at Chicago's beaches. Can you explain this?
The Browning Family
Dear Browning Family,
As the crow flies, the distance from Chicago's beaches to the magnificent beaches at Indiana Dunes State Park is 35 miles, but distance isn't the explanation for water temperature difference at the two locations. It's due to the orientation of the lake's shoreline relative to the wind direction.
Winds usually blow from the southwest or west on hot (good swimming) days. Chicago's shoreline faces east, whereas the shore at Indiana Dunes State Park faces northwest. At Chicago, southwest or west winds push warm surface water away from the shore; colder "deep" water wells up to replace it. At the Dunes beaches, those same winds push warm surface water to the shore.
So "cooler near the lake " doesn't apply here in Indiana?