Ice conditions

[Crappie_ Kid]

Me and my buddy went to check ice today. Ther is more ice out there now then there has bean all year. We checked it on friday before the big warm up, and there was 4 to 5 inches everywhere now its anywere from 6 to 9. Why do you guys think that is? My guess is the rain froze over night and just made better ice. But it sure is slippery

[Cowgirladdict]

i wouldnt think this much water on top of the ice is going to be a good thing, plus there talking 40s all week

[schweady]

I was pretty dumbfounded with the thickness here tonight, too. Last Thursday, I measured 8". Now tonight, after 4-5 days near the freeze/thaw line, it was a good 11". I'll take it, just not sure how it happens. Goes to show how dumb we all are when acting too sure about any ice.

[Fastlane]

Well, I hope whatever it is that's creating you guys to see more ice being created, I hope it sticks around for a little while.

All I see is a forecast in the 40's, night time lows in the high 20's and possibly a snow/rain storm the middle of next week to possibly slush things up and put a blanket on the left over cruddy ice

[Neiko]

I thought I was on the DNR HSOforum that said as long as the temp was below freezing for the nite the ice thickness would deminish. After all the sun is only shining for about 10 out of 24 hours a day right now.

[Haybinder]

The water temp is around 31 degrees. Plus it is colder longer during the day. Even if it gets to 40, it is only that temp for a while. I was out last Sat. and there was no water on the ice until 2pm, and it was in the 50's.

[NAPAFISH]

I dont think the sun is a huge factor, being the angle it is on

[Pary]

anybody gone out yet this week? how's the ice? metro twin cities area.

[JP Z]

The Sun isn't what melts the ice. It is the water below the ice. Ice freezes from the top down.

[Dances with Walleye]

Quote:

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I thought I was on the DNR

HSOforum

that said as long as the temp was below freezing for the nite the ice thickness would deminish. After all the sun is only shining for about 10 out of 24 hours a day right now.

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I've been keeping track using weather.com, since the warm up we're averaging 16 hours out of every 48 where the air temp is above 32 degrees.

It's roughly the amount of time we have daylight for... Takes a little bit to warm up above 32 after dawn, and about the same amount to cool back down to.

A couple of other things to keep in mind, is that water (In all it's forms) is still a heat sink... It takes a heck of a lot to heat up a large body of water just as much as it does to cool it down.

I'd also imagine on some lakes the factor of impurities in the water also applies. Pure water (Distiled) freezes at 32 degrees. A cruddy lake and a clear water lake are going to have slightly different freeze temps, and slightly different heat sink capabilites.

So I think the people who are seeing an increase in ice are just seeing the tail end of that cold period working it's potential out as a heat sink (Cold in this case)... And now the lag will happen as it starts to warm up again.

Right now sun, wind and rain are the bad factors.

Despite the sun's angle etc... It always has enough radiant heat to melt the ice... Once it has escaped the low light altitudes... It's just that air temps act as a limiting factor... When Air Temps go over 32 the sun can begin working to melt the ice.

The only other thing left to save the ice is it's natural albito (sp?) Which is it's ability to reflect the sun light, and act as it's own heat sink.

This is why if you park your wheeler on a sunny day, and you come out later and find a puddle of melted water around the tires, it's because the wheeler has been absorbing the suns heat, and holding it... Where as the ice has been reflecting it.

So in the end when we put all the factors together, there's just too much interplay to make any certain calls, other than to say, that in all cases, until another cold snap comes in, all ice fishing trips should be walk-outs with full safety gear.

If you want to pray for something, pray for a freak snowstorm in the Dakota's & Nebraska... The albito of the reflected heat will cool down the warm winds that are coming our way and allow us to preserve our ice agaist the sun's effects.

[Bill Dance]

Was out on carnelian down by kimball there was 7-8 inches of good clear ice all the rain and melt had frozen on top except for a few spots were it had pooled had not frozen all the way yet. good walking ice but not sure about wheelers though

[Duffman]

The biggest threat to the ice is warm wind. That air right next to the surface is kept colder 'cause it's sitting on a block of ice. Without wind, that air will hang there and help keep the surface temp below what the actual air temp is. The sun is at it's lowest angle of the year next week, but it can still warm up the shoreline or anything else that will absorb it's heat sticking out of the ice. Even though it's above freezing for half the day, the other half it's making ice.

I think if the ice can make thru these next couple days, it'll be just fine and lock back up tight in no time. If you're one of the guys who've towed out a permanent on this bare ice in the southernish part of the state, I'd keep an eye out on the wind the next couple of sunny days. The warm windy ice house vortex will suck a permanent shack thru the ice quicker than you might think.

[jighed]

i went thru on big lake walking it was a scarry feeling. watch out for the pressure ridges it took only a second to go to my waist. lucky i was holding on to the rope on the ice shack.and my buddy was holding the ice house as i pulled myself up on the rope. i was in about 24 ft of water