Snow, good or bad?

[hardhat]

Here in PA we just started to get about an inch or two of ice on area lakes, but we are getting a snow storm right know with possibly 6 inches. Is it good or bad that the snow is on the ice? I heard guys say that the snow is bad for the ice, but would think that it would insulate the ice. The only down fall is that you can't see thin ice when the snow is down. What's your take on this? Thanks.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Snow does insulate the ice... which makes it not get as thick as it could. Which makes snow bad in my opinion.

[Scenic]

Snow on top of early ice is not a good thing. It does insulate the ice but by doing so does not allow the cold air that is needed for ice making to reach the ice. It also puts a lot of weight pressure on this ice. This can cause water to come up on top causing even more stress to the ice.

Jeff
Scenic Tackle

[Gissert]

As Jeff mentioned, the heavy snow will cause the ice to sag, and the top will flood with water and make a slushy mess. Eventually this will freeze into a snow/ice mixture and become part of the ice structure. It will not be nearly as strong as an equivalent thickness of good clear ice.

There is an excellent source of informatinon on the formation and relative strengths of ice on the Army Corps of Engineer site. I can't remember the link, but if you surf around you should be able to find it. If I run across it later, I will send it to Rick for him to post if it meets his approval.

[Gissert]

Here is that ice strength link. Thanks for the permission, Rick.

www.mvp-wc.usace.army.mil.ice/ice_load.html

[I Like Worms]

link doesn't work

[Gissert]

Let's try this again...

http://www.mvp-wc.usace.army.mil/ice/ice_load.html

[Guest]

Snow can be both good and bad. Snow is good because it will hide you from the fish when fishing in shallow or clear water. Also lets less light penatration. Snow can be bad because it will insulate the ice putting a damper on the formation process.

Good Fishin, Matt.