Negative 98 is colder than I have ever experienced, and I don't want to!
It was really only -34, unless you were a living creature. Then the wind wicks away the body temp making a 'feels like' temperature.
We have a lot of wind here.
I think the coldest I can remember around here was -20 or thereabouts as far as temperature. My car would not start
I suspect the lake not only makes it cold - but also would prevent it from getting too cold. Even if the top is frozen, there's a whole lot of heat mass at > 32° sitting there, impacting the environment around it.
The top of the lake might be (in parts) frozen, it's still a giant body of water that's keeping things from getting too cold.
We have a few large lakes and some smaller bodies of water - but they're nothing compared to what you've got.
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