Mold Remediation in Canadian Lakes, MI

The best Canadian wildfire smoke models show how the Great Lakes actually “trap” the smoke over the water.

My neighbor was out fishing on Saginaw Bay this morning and sent me this picture. Saginaw Bay had a shroud of smoke hovering over it.

The reason is very simple. It’s called a “trapping inversion.” Hang with me. I’ll make it easy.

An inversion is when cold air is at the surface and warm air is aloft. This is opposite of the way the atmosphere normally works.

The lake water is still relatively cold with temperatures in the 40s and 50s. The air temperature aloft is in the 70s. This is a very stable situation meaning there isn’t a movement of surface air upward. So the surface air stays at the surface and gets trapped there.

If any smoke is in that trapped air, the smoke lingers, too.

As a day progresses the air near the water’s surface can warm some and the inversion erodes. The smoke will lift and disappear into a larger space in the air over Michigan. So the strong visual of thick smoke turns into a faint haze of smoke all over the sky of Michigan.

Here’s a model forecast for this afternoon of PM2.5, also meaning small smoke particles. Notice how the highest concentrations are over the cold water areas of northern Lake Michigan and northern Lake Huron.

The highest concentrations are shown in red.

With the wildfires well established already in this early summer, smoke will likely continue to pour into Michigan’s sky. You may get to your favorite Lake Michigan or Lake Huron beach and see what you think is a fog bank. It’s probably a little of both fog and smoke. We used to call this smog.

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Lake Ontario may be the only Great Lake not bordering Michigan, but the body of water has natural wonders of its own worth trekking east to see.

The smallest of the five Great Lakes by area, Lake Ontario has 712 miles of shoreline, according to the Michigan Sea Grant. The lake straddles an international border, touching the U.S. and Canada, and features a popular tourist attraction, Niagara Falls, at its western end, along with historic lighthouses, boating, fishing and more.

The easternmost of the Great Lakes, Lake Ontario connects to Lake Erie by the Niagara River, according to the American Great Lakes Ports Association. Lake Huron, Michigan and Superior make up the rest of the quintet.

"Lake Ontario is an ecological wonder. Every drop of water within the Great Lakes basin flows through Lake Ontario. Being so close to the Atlantic Ocean makes Lake Ontario a crucial corridor for transportation, water exchange, and fish migration," Great Lakes Guide says.

Here's what to know about Lake Ontario.

Where is Lake Ontario located?

Lake Ontario borders Canada's Ontario province to the north and west and New York in the U.S. to the south and east.

How deep is Lake Ontario?

Lake Ontario has an average depth of about 283 feet, and a maximum depth of 802 feet, according to the National Museum of the Great Lakes.

How wide is Lake Ontario? How long?

Lake Ontario is 53 miles wide and 193 miles long, Michigan Sea Grant says.

How warm does Lake Ontario get?

Lake Ontario's temperatures begins rising in early spring, climbing to a peak in late summer and early fall, according to GLISA, a collaborative between Michigan State University and University of Michigan supported by NOAA.

Seatemperature.org says the average temperature of Lake Ontario is 41.9 degrees Fahrenheit in May. It rises in June to 58.8, and 70.5 in July, before topping out at nearly 73 degrees in August. In February and March, lake temperatures average in the upper 30s.

When is it warm enough to swim in Lake Ontario?

Swimming is typically comfortable in lake waters at about 70 degrees, Swimoutlet.com says.

Your body can enter "cold shock" in water between 50 and 60 degrees, the National Weather Service says. The dangerous condition brings a sudden spike in heart rate and blood pressure, accompanied by involuntary gasping, rapid breathing or hyperventilating in the first two to three minutes, and immediate panic, fear or stress.

How many lighthouses are on Lake Ontario?

Lake Ontario boasts more than 50 lighthouses on the Canadian and U.S. shores, many along the St. Lawrence River to the northeast, Great Lakes Proud says.

How many shipwrecks are there in Lake Ontario?

There have been an estimated 550 shipwrecks on Lake Ontario, the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area says. The lake's eastern basin is particularly disastrous, having seen some 270-500 shipwrecks, mainly in the "Marysburgh Vortex," an area where magnetic rock from an ancient meteorite impact throws off compass readings, Nature Canada says.

What is Niagara Falls?

Niagara Falls, three cascades on the Niagara River between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, is a popular tourist destination, Niagara Falls USA notes. The falls are made up of Horseshoe Falls, American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. Visitors can enjoy walking tours near the top of the falls and boat tours on the river below.

The Niagara region draws in 14 million visitors annually, including 12 million to the city of Niagara Falls, according to Niagara Falls Tourism. On The New York side, Niagara Falls State Park is the oldest state park in the U.S., open 365 days a year and brings in over 8 million visitors annually.

What is the Welland Canal?

The Welland Canal is part of the St. Lawrence Seaway, a system of rivers, lakes, canals and locks that allows ocean-going ships to travel from the Gulf of St. Lawrence on Canada's east coast all the way to Duluth, Minnesota, on western Lake Superior.

The Welland Canal includes eight locks from Lake Ontario to lake Erie. It traverses Canada west of Niagara Falls.

What is the lake's Indigenous name?

The name Lake Ontario comes from the Huron word Ontari'io, meaning great lake or beautiful water, per the National Museum of the Great Lakes.

Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires will continue to spread across the skies over much of the Great Lakes and may linger through the weekend.

Officials declared a state of emergency for the entire province of Manitoba on Wednesday as out-of-control fires raged over 150,000 acres.

The smoke may create air quality issues at times, mainly for sensitive groups. Individuals who are more vulnerable to the effects of air pollution include children, older adults, and individuals with pre-existing conditions like asthma, heart disease, or other respiratory or cardiovascular problems. Pregnant women and those who work outdoors for extended periods of time may also be more at risk.

The CBS News Detroit NEXT Weather team is tracking the chance that the smoke could lower in the atmosphere, resulting in a stronger chance for reduced air quality, following guidance from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, and will keep you up to date on any changes in the forecast.

EGLE on Friday issued air quality advisories for parts of Michigan through Saturday morning. The plume is expected to hit the western Upper Peninsula first, then make its way towards the central Upper Peninsula, then southward into the Lower Peninsula, with a second plume possible on Saturday.

At the least, expect to see the smoke dim the sun, resulting in hazy sunshine, and create colorful sunrises and sunsets. Where smoke is the thickest and reaches the surface, reduced visibilities and a campfire smell may be evident at times.

Stacey DuFord

Stacey grew up in Mt. Morris, Michigan, and became fascinated with weather as a child after watching a tornado rip up a tree in her backyard.

WEST MICHIGAN — Thursday night's storms brought strong winds, including several potential tornadoes, to West Michigan.

The front prompted the National Weather Service offices in Grand Rapids and Northwest Indiana to issues dozens of warnings for Severe Thunderstorms and Tornadoes. Here is the final count for warnings that covered communities from the lakeshore to Lansing.

24 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, including several that overlapped or extended multiple times.

9 Tornado Warnings, including some radar-indicated rotations that may have put a funnel cloud onto the ground.

As the National Weather Service put it on social media just before midnight, it was "havoc effectively wrecked."

Storms are reaching the midway point as they make their way into mid-Michigan. Havoc effectively wrecked across West Michigan with reports of scattered damage and power outages up to at least 146k and counting. Stay vigilant mid-Michigan! These storms still pack a punch. pic.twitter.com/zKx9IjmTNX

— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025

This storm was one FOX 17 had been warning you for days about. We issued a Weather Ready Alert for the system more than 24 hours before it struck.

Roughly 200,000 electric customers lost service because of the storms, and emergency crews in Muskegon County said they fought several structures fires likely caused by the weather.

WATCH: Nearly 3 hours of live coverage of severe storms on May 15

Read our live blog coverage as the night unfolded below:

A Tornado Warning has been issued for Ingham County. This warning is set to expire at 12:15 a.m. on May 16. A radar-confirmed tornado was on the ground along the I-69 corridor southwest of Lansing.

Tornado Warning including Lansing MI, East Lansing MI and Holt MI until 12:15 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/1V9VCMkcTw

— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025

A Tornado Warning has been issued for portions of Clinton and Gratiot counties until 12:15 a.m. on May 16

A Tornado Warning has been issued for portions of Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties. That warning is set to expire at 11:45 p.m.

Tornado Warning including Battle Creek MI, Albion MI and Marshall MI until 11:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/aIqg4Cvi9A

— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025

A Tornado Warning has been issued for portions of Barry, Ionia, and Eaton counties until 11:45 p.m.

A Tornado Warning has been issued for eastern Allegan and western Barry counties until 11:30 p.m.

A Tornado Warning has been issued for southern Kent County, northern Allegan County, and northwestern Barry County. This warning will expire at 11:15 p.m.

A Tornado Warning has been issued for northern Kent County, southeastern Newaygo, and southwestern Montcalm counties. This warning will expire at 10:45 p.m.

A Tornado Warning has been issued for portions of Ottawa and Allegan counties. A radar indicated twister moved on land near Holland State Park. This warning will last until 10:45 p.m.

A Tornado Warning has been issued for portions of Ottawa, Muskegon and Newaygo counties. This warning is set to expire at 10:15 p.m.

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Kalamazoo, Barry, and Ionia counties. This warning is set to expire at midnight.

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Newaygo County until midnight.

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Mecosta County. This warning is set to expire at 11:45 p.m.

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been extended for Ottawa, Muskegon, and Newaygo counties until 10:45 p.m.

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Kent and Newaygo counties. This warning is set to expire at 11:15 p.m.

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Van Buren and Allegan counties. This warning is set to expire at 11 p.m.

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Ottawa, Muskegon, Oceana, and Mason counties until 10:45 p.m.

The National Weather Service set a Tornado Watch for every county in the lower peninsula, from I-94 and north and west of I-127. The watch is in effect until 3 a.m. Friday morning.

If you are in the path of this storm, you are encouraged to seek shelter in your basement or interior room with no windows.

Thursday's storms are expected to bring strong winds, hail up to the size of golf balls, and potential tornadoes. The Storm Prediction Center put most of West Michigan in an enhanced risk for severe weather, the 3rd-highest level of potential.

WATCH: Weather Ready Alert forecast for May 15, 2025

Stay alert with the FOX 17 Weather Team on-air and online. For the latest details on where and when weather is happening, download the FOX 17 mobile app where you can catch live newscasts and the latest forecasts.

For the latest details on the weather in West Michigan, head to the FOX 17 Weather page.

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