Great Lakes average ice cover drops to 6%, one of lowest levels ever recorded

Scientists say global heating is driving ice loss and warmer water, as ice cover falls short of 50-year average of 18%

The average ice cover over the five Great Lakes was just 6% last month, placing it among the least icy Januarys since records began 50 years ago, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa).

The Great Lakes - Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario - are located at or near the US-Canada border, and are connected by a network of smaller lakes and rivers that span a combined surface area of 95,000 sq miles, making it the largest freshwater system in the world.