wind and the ice?

[mrpike1973]

Will we still get good ice if there's wind? I know many factors but can it make good ice with the wind.

[BartmanMN]

I don't think a lake will ice over with a lot of wind blowing. If it is calm and gets skim ice, then a hard wind, it can push all the ice to one end of the lake. That happened last year on Pelican lake, walking off the North end had really weird ice where it all pushed in and then re-froze with jagged vertical sheets.

[PFUNK]

I may be wrong and someone will hopefully correct me if I am, but I think that some wind is actually better than no wind. However, as stated too strong of a wind can break up newly formed ice. A cold wind helps remove heat at the waters surface and speeds up ice formation if I am not mistaken.

[fshhntfootball]

^^ Would make sense. Forced convection moves heat a lot faster than natural convection. Like you said, however, wind to the point of waves nullifies all that.

[PurpleFloyd]

One thing I have heard over the years but have not confirmed or formed an opinion on is the idea that strong winds right before freeze over will stir up the water and reduce clarity and that once it freezes over the suspended organics never settle back out over the season while water that freezes while it is calm will be clearer at first ice and through the season.

Anyone have any experience with this one way or the other?