Lake Superior never completely thawed, from LAST winter, did it? There were ice floes WAY late in the season.
Lake Eire has so completely frozen, that even large jet airplanes could use it for an emergency landing field. Not that there would not be a LOT of ‘splainin’ to do with the FAA, but from an engineering standpoint, it is feasible.
I agree, and it does so quitter often. Note, however, that the map says it's only "90 to 99%" frozen over, a shade of gray. That's the point, NOAA has moved the goal posts on what's frozen over this year.