"Globally, Lakes Warming At An Alarming Rate, Study Finds"

"It’s not in your head. Seattle’s Lake Washington is getting warmer and more comfortable to swim in every year. And it’s not the only lake experiencing a rapid rise in temperature.

For the first time, scientists have brought together a comprehensive data set from 235 lakes around the world, containing more than half of the world’s fresh water. The study, which was published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, found that globally, lake temperatures are rising more rapidly than ocean or air temperatures – at an average uptick of .61 degrees Fahrenheit each decade.

'It’s there every way you cut the data,' said co-author Stephanie Hampton, director of Washington State University’s Center for Environmental Research, Education and Outreach, 'and they’re warming somewhat more rapidly than we expected.' "

Ashley Ahearn reports for Oregon Public Broadcasting/EarthFix December 16, 2015.