SOUTH BEND ― Lake Michigan has a wide-ranging impact on our weather. That means it has a huge impact on our daily lives in more ways than one. Our economy, our history and our future are all tied to Lake Michigan.

Grape growing wouldn't be possible in southwest Michigan if it wasn't for the lake. Mike Merchant, winemaker at Tabor Hill, has been in the wine business for 30 years.

“In the fall, what it does most of the time is it extends the growing season,” he said. “It modifies things to keep things warmer, longer.”

The opposite is true in the spring.

“In the spring it keeps things cooler, the area or the climate cooler,” Merchant said. “That would delay bud break, which is very important to avoid spring frosts.”

Lake Michigan allows wineries in the area to thrive, but that's not all. Grant Black, a professor of economics at IU South Bend, says the lake has always had an impact here.

“It has had, historically, a substantial impact,” he said. Obviously the area that we're in really developed because of access to the waterways.”

It has had a huge impact on our local economy.

“Well, certainly a lot of things in the broader sort of recreation and tourism industries,” Black said. “It could be things like wineries. It could be things like casinos, just the natural resources of the dunes and things like that.”

The development of our cities has depended on Lake Michigan. Cities near the western coast see nearly 35 inches of snow per year. Cities near the eastern coast see nearly twice that with about 70 inches per year.

“Obviously weather patterns and those kinds of things would have affected where people located,” said Black. “Obviously lots of other things would have come into play as well. So it certainly is a component of how cities developed and population growth occurs.”

Lake Michigan also affects you and your everyday plans. We have more about the daily impact of Lake Michigan in Part 3.