Lake Michigan has been a blessing and a curse for those who live close to its waters. The beauty of the blue lake can be a stunning sight on a summer day, and the cool breeze is refreshing when neighbors to the west are sizzling on a July afternoon. But this time of year, when spring seems to be late for the party, Lake Michigan can send an unwelcome chill.

The term "cooler near the lake" is a common mantra around here. This time of year the surface lake water temperature is only in the upper 30s to around 40. So any little breath of air from the northeast, east, or southeast will send that chilly air inland. Even on a sun-drenched April day, a wind off the pond can raise some goosebumps. The problem with water is its high heat capacity. That's a good thing later in summer, when the heat of June and July warm the lake and make it tolerable for swimming in August and September. It takes a long time for the lake to lose that warmth. In fact, during the cold nights of winter, living near the lake can keep you warmer. With air temperatures in the teens and 20s, the lake water temperature can remain in the mid 30s.

Now that the lake has lost last summer's heat, it's retaining this winter's cold. It will be slow to warm, so water temperatures around 40 or the low 40s are common right into mid to late May. Just how far "cooler near the lake" reaches inland depends upon wind speed and direction. Lake Michigan is a north-south oriented lake, so a northeast wind has a longer path over lake water than any other direction. Air parcels reaching us with a northeast wind may have traveled over 100 miles over a cold lake surface. If the wind is strong, e.g. a steady 15 miles per hour with gusts to 25 miles per hour, the cooling can reach west of Highway 45. Washington, Waukesha and western Racine counties are too far inland to feel the chill, even with a strong wind. That's because the cool air parcels travel over enough of the warmer land to allow some heating. April days with highs in the upper 30s lakeside can easily reach 50 or 55 in the city of Waukesha.

An east or southeast wind gives us less cooling inland, although for those living along the lake it is often just as cold as a northeast wind. A southeast wind has less of a path over Lake Michigan water, therefore less cooling. Wind speed is still the key to the extent of cooling inland. So on a spring day, before you step out the door, check the wind direction and speed. Chances are that any wind from an easterly component will remind you of the leftover chill of winter. It's one of the main reasons spring warmth takes so long to get here.