Spring Finally Comes to the South Shore of Lake Superior

The ice is out on the south shore of Lake Superior. The deer are running the roads and foraging on the roadsides. Spring has arrived in northwestern Wisconsin.

I was in the area Friday and Saturday. On Friday, the Duluth-Superior area and northwestern Wisconsin experienced continuous heavy rains and high wind. Visibility on Highway 2 going into Wisconsin was near zero at times.

Yesterday was completely different. Other than the fact that it was windy, the sky was clear and sunny. Temperatures were in the low 50s. Signs of spring were everywhere.

About a mile west of Port Wing, Wisconsin you'll see large areas of standing water from last week's rain and snow mix. Lake Superior was blustery and noisy yesterday, with large waves crashing against the shore at Herbster and Cornucopia.

The water in some spots looks like chocolate milk, due to the clay stirred up by spring storms and wind. At outflows like the Brule and Amnicon Rivers, the water is a deep reddish-brown color. Both the Amnicon and the Brule are high and flowing rapidly. The snow melt appears to be complete and the woods are greening up.

And in small towns along the water, you'll see shopkeepers opening stores, loading in goods, sweeping sidewalks and doing yard work. All seem to be optimistic about the start of another tourist season in northwest Wisconsin.