SYRACUSE, N.Y. — It’s been feeling like summer this week with several days in the 80s across CNY! Warm enough to take the boat out on local lakes. However, you should think twice before jumping in the water. The water temperature is still very cold this time of year, cold enough to kill or cause hypothermia. I’ll explain the dangers of cold water, safety tips, when the lakes warm up on average, and how the weather plays a role. Using 3D graphics in this week’s Weather Wisdom Wednesday, watch the video below:
The current surface water temperature on Lake Ontario is only in the upper 30s! April is one of the coldest months of the year for the lakes in CNY. The other coldest months are February and March. Even as the air begins to warm up in the spring, it takes longer for the lakes to warm up. This is because water has a high heat capacity, meaning it takes more energy to heat it up, but it also holds onto the heat longer in the…..