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As can be seen in the below sequence of NOAA images spanning 15 hours (most recent at top), in extreme eastern Lake Superior the surface water (but not bottom water) temperature increased dramatically in a localized area. Can anyone confirm or rule out that this is a real event? If it is real, what is the explanation?

Link to source and additional information (Additional information includes lake-bottom temperature maps and additional time points)

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ That site shows surface temperatures in the 60s (Fahrenheit) at 18:00 GMT on January 24. That makes no sense. Those are late summertime temperatures. This is midwinter. $\endgroup$ – David Hammen Jan 25 '15 at 15:07
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NOAA revised the data.

The map below is for the same date and time as the first map in the question, but with the anomaly gone. So I'll have to assume the event wasn't real.

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ I can imagine some conspiracy theorists saying that "they" are hiding stuff ;) $\endgroup$ – Gimelist Jan 27 '15 at 5:31
  • $\begingroup$ Even I checked to see if there was a nuclear power plant there, because they can put out a lot of thermal pollution, but there isn't. $\endgroup$ – DavePhD Jan 27 '15 at 11:30
  • $\begingroup$ @Michael: well, technically they are hiding stuff. A numerical glitch in their hindcast model, most likely, although it might have also been a data munging glitch in the input or output. Either way, this is most obviously an example of why "hiding" (more properly "interpolating out bugs") is a good idea. $\endgroup$ – naught101 Jan 30 '15 at 5:21
  • $\begingroup$ Agreed this is probably a glitch. Would enjoy to hear if there are any phenomenological explanations for how this can occur. Data error is Occam's-razor-common, but nice to hear thoughts on what / how. Such thinking can encourage the production of better instruments. $\endgroup$ – New Alexandria Mar 2 '15 at 17:30

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