Record highs for the upper Great Lakes are prompting a warning for shoreline property owners.
The International Lake Superior Board of Control says water levels in Superior are 38 centimetres above average and one centimetre above the record high for the beginning of February, set in 1986 - and that's despite a six centimetre decline over January, which was one centimetre less than the normal January decline.
The board warns the high water levels mean a "significantly increased risk of shoreline erosion, lakeshore flooding, and coastal damages" into the spring - and it warns anyone who may be affected "to prepare for potentially severe coastal impacts, especially during periods of strong winds and high waves".
Similar problems are also noted for Lake Michigan-Huron, which saw its water level rise rather than decline over January.