Why doesn't Lake Ontario freeze over?

The brutal winter the eastern half of North America experienced this year took a heavy toll on the continent's Great Lakes. Since late December when the first "Polar Vortex" descended and wreaked havoc, ice cover on the Great Lakes skyrocketed and topped out in the 80% range in February. read more

Lake Ontario, nestled between southern Ontario and upstate New York, has a reputation for never really freezing over during the winter. During the 2011-2012 season, only 3% of the lake's surface froze. read more

It's too deep to freeze over. If you've ever gone in, there's an abrupt drop off. That's why in the Summer it doesn't get warm either. Sometimes in August if the weather has been warm enough the temperature will be tolerable. It has a rocky bottom (where I lived anyway) which isn't great for your feet. read more