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LAKE TURNOVER is the process of a lake’s water turning over Epilimnion
from top (epilimnion) to bottom (hypolimnion). During the summer, the The surface layer of water that is constantly mixed by wind and waves
epilimnion, or surface layer, is the warmest. It is heated by the sun. The and is warmed by the sun, from late spring to late fall.
deepest layer, the hypolimnion, is the coldest. The sun’s radiation does Metalimnion
not reach this cold, dark layer. The middle layer characterized by a steep gradient in temperature and
During the fall, the warm surface water begins to cool. As water demarcated by the regions above (epilimnion) and below (hypolimnion).
cools, it becomes more dense, causing it to sink. This dense water The metalimnion is the barrier that prevents mixing and heat exchange
forces the water of the hypolimnion to rise, “turning over” the layers. between the epilimnion and hypolimnion.
THERMAL STRATIFICATION is a seasonal phenomenon that Hypolimnion
occurs from late spring to late fall in temperate regions. In the summer, The deepest layer of uniformly cold water that does not mix with the
the upper layer of water in the Great Lakes (epilimnion) is warmed upper layers and has low circulation. The colder water within the
significantly by the sun. Cooler water separates, forming two additional hypolimnion is at its maximum density at a temperature of 39.2˚ F (4˚
layers (metalimnion and hypolimnion) that are heavier or denser. C).
During the winter, there is no stratification as the lake cools, and the
overall temperature of the lake is more uniform.

96 2025 WLEW Vacation Guide