By
Mark Torregrossa, mLive
This coming winter's ice cover on the Great Lakes may be a lot different from the past two years.
I've found that an El Niño during winter can have a dramatic effect on the amount of ice on the Great Lakes. We currently have a strong El Niño, and it's expected to last into winter.
http://www.mlive.com/weather/index.ssf/2015/09/el_nino_has_dramatic_effect_on.html