January's shivering start has led to a rapid expansion of ice cover on the Great Lakes during the first half of January.

Combined, 34.1 percent of the five Great Lakes are covered in ice as of Jan. 15, 2015, This is up from just 5.65 percent on New Year's Day.

Temperatures compared to average in 2014 from mid-January to mid-March. Much of the Great Lakes region was four degrees below average, leading to the second highest Great Lakes ice coverage percentage on record.

(NOAA)

It should be noted that the quick freeze up of Lake Erie makes up a large amount of this overall percentage. After being almost ice free to start the year, Erie is 87 percent ice covered as of mid-January.

Lake Erie freezes quicker than the rest of the Great Lakes because its shallower, according to our winter weather expert, Tom Niziol. In a typical winter, Lake Erie usually freezes by Jan. 24, Niziol says.

Last year, the Great Lakes were 21.2 percent ice-covered on Jan. 14, making this year's ice cover 13 percent higher to date. If you recall, below-average temperatures were persistent from mid-January onward in the winter of 2014,

Are we headed for a repeat of 2014's ice coverage levels? It would be difficult to do considering the average peak ice cover in a given winter since 1973 has been 51.7 percent. Only time will tell how high this winter's ice coverage peaks.

Ice Coverage Percentage by Lake as of Jan. 14, 2015

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Great Lakes Ice Images Jan. 2015

Lake Erie

Satellite image of Lake Erie on Jan. 14, 2015. (NASA)