1

NOAA Technical Memorandum ERL GLERL-99

LAKE SUPERIOR WATER TEMPERATURE DATA

SAULT STE. MARIE, MICHIGAN 1906-1992

Michael J. McCormick

Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory

Ann Arbor, Michigan

August 1996

UNITED STATES

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Mickey Kantor

Secretary

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND

ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION

D. James Baker

Under Secretary for Oceans

and Atmosphere/Administrator

Environmental Research

Laboratories

James L. Rasmussen

Director

NAT OI NAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRAT OI N

U.S.DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
2

NOTICE

Mention of a commercial company or product does not constitute an endorsement

by the NOAA Environmental Research Laboratories. Use of information from

this publication concerning proprietary products or the tests of such products for

publicity or advertising purposes is not authorized. This is GLERL Contribution

No. 1012. NTIS# PB96-202429.
3

NOAA Technical Memorandum ERL GLERL-99

LAKE SUPERIOR WATER TEMPERATURE DATA

SAULT STE. MARIE, MICHIGAN 1906-1992

Michael J. McCormick

Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory

2205 Commonwealth Blvd.

Ann Arbor, MI 48105

internet address: mccormick@glerl.noaa.gov

1. INTRODUCTION

Water temperature data from several sites around the Great Lakes were obtained to determine if

any regional climatic changes or trends could be detected based upon these data sets. The study was

partially supported by the NOAA Office of Global Programs. Site selection was based upon location

and reasonable data access.

This technical memorandum contains data for Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The water temperature

data shown in the following figures were collected at the Hydro Plant in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

The data set is from 1906 to 1992. The data from 1957 through 1992 were provided by the U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers at Sault Ste. Marie. Data were hand recorded from a Taylor thermometer once daily

at 08:00 h. The temperature sensor is located at the Hydro Plant intake gate slot about 6 m below

the surface.

The data are plotted and shown in the accompanying figures. The number of days of available data is

written on each plot. Prior to final plotting, all data were checked for consistency, and all questionable

values were deleted. All missing data are denoted by -999.

Data files are identified as TM099Dxx.edt where the xx identifies the data year. Data are organized

into four columns: month, day, year, and temperature. Although the data are reported to the nearest

0.1o

C, a more reasonable estimate of their accuracy is 0.5oC given all the uncertainties with the raw data.

All data are available in a simple ASCII format. The data files are available on our WWW site or

from our anonymous FTP site. From the GLERL home page (www.glerl.noaa.gov) select FTP server, or

point your browser to: ftp://ftp.glerl.noaa.gov/publications/tech_reports/glerl-99.

Although great care has been used in checking these data, mistakes may still be present. If errors

are found, please contact the author at mccormick@glerl.noaa.gov.
4

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 269

Sault Ste Marie 1906

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 275

Sault Ste Marie 1907

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 275

Sault Ste Marie 1908

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 275

Sault Ste Marie 1909

Julian Day
5

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 275

Sault Ste Marie 1910

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 270

Sault Ste Marie 1911

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 275

Sault Ste Marie 1912

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 275

Sault Ste Marie 1913

Julian Day
6

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 245

Sault Ste Marie 1914

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 275

Sault Ste Marie 1915

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 264

Sault Ste Marie 1916

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 269

Sault Ste Marie 1917

Julian Day
7

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 275

Sault Ste Marie 1918

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 240

Sault Ste Marie 1919

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 250

Sault Ste Marie 1920

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 250

Sault Ste Marie 1921

Julian Day
8

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 246

Sault Ste Marie 1922

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 256

Sault Ste Marie 1923

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 255

Sault Ste Marie 1924

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 268

Sault Ste Marie 1925

Julian Day
9

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 237

Sault Ste Marie 1926

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 247

Sault Ste Marie 1927

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 248

Sault Ste Marie 1928

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 241

Sault Ste Marie 1929

Julian Day
10

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 259

Sault Ste Marie 1930

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 266

Sault Ste Marie 1931

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 245

Sault Ste Marie 1932

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 242

Sault Ste Marie 1933

Julian Day
11

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 244

Sault Ste Marie 1934

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 238

Sault Ste Marie 1935

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 228

Sault Ste Marie 1936

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 258

Sault Ste Marie 1937

Julian Day
12

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 247

Sault Ste Marie 1938

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 254

Sault Ste Marie 1939

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 266

Sault Ste Marie 1940

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 270

Sault Ste Marie 1941

Julian Day
13

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 235

Sault Ste Marie 1942

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 234

Sault Ste Marie 1943

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 241

Sault Ste Marie 1944

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 259

Sault Ste Marie 1945

Julian Day
14

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 261

Sault Ste Marie 1946

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 236

Sault Ste Marie 1947

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 207

Sault Ste Marie 1948

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 122

Sault Ste Marie 1949

Julian Day
15

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 235

Sault Ste Marie 1950

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 252

Sault Ste Marie 1951

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 263

Sault Ste Marie 1952

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 261

Sault Ste Marie 1953

Julian Day
16

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 261

Sault Ste Marie 1954

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 256

Sault Ste Marie 1955

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 263

Sault Ste Marie 1956

Julian Day
17

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 256

Sault Ste Marie 1957

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 269

Sault Ste Marie 1958

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 298

Sault Ste Marie 1959

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 308

Sault Ste Marie 1960

Julian Day
18

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 291

Sault Ste Marie 1961

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 278

Sault Ste Marie 1962

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 287

Sault Ste Marie 1963

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 79

Sault Ste Marie 1964

Julian Day
19

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 298

Sault Ste Marie 1965

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 327

Sault Ste Marie 1966

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 277

Sault Ste Marie 1967

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 284

Sault Ste Marie 1968

Julian Day
20

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 301

Sault Ste Marie 1969

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 299

Sault Ste Marie 1970

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 274

Sault Ste Marie 1971

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 264

Sault Ste Marie 1972

Julian Day
21

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 290

Sault Ste Marie 1973

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 260

Sault Ste Marie 1974

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 289

Sault Ste Marie 1975

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 270

Sault Ste Marie 1976

Julian Day
22

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 275

Sault Ste Marie 1977

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 262

Sault Ste Marie 1978

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 265

Sault Ste Marie 1979

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 275

Sault Ste Marie 1980

Julian Day
23

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 262

Sault Ste Marie 1981

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 265

Sault Ste Marie 1982

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 316

Sault Ste Marie 1983

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 273

Sault Ste Marie 1984

Julian Day
24

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 266

Sault Ste Marie 1985

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 275

Sault Ste Marie 1986

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 319

Sault Ste Marie 1987

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 269

Sault Ste Marie 1988

Julian Day
25

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 261

Sault Ste Marie 1989

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 257

Sault Ste Marie 1990

Julian Day

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 283

Sault Ste Marie 1991

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

0

10

20

30

Water Temperature (C)

Days of data = 276

Sault Ste Marie 1992

Julian Day