WE HAVE AN ICE-OUT CONTEST WINNER! IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T CHECKED ON FRED'S HOME PAGE ICE-OUT REPORT, HER NAME IS KAREN BROUILLETTE, SHE IS FROM WEBSTERVILLE, VERMONT, AND HER GUESS WAS THE CLOSEST - APRIL 27 AT 10:07 P.M.

THE ICE ACTUALLY WENT OUT ON APRIL 27 AT 10:17 PM. THE EARLIEST IT HAS EVER GONE OUT WAS LAST YEAR, 2010, WHEN IT WENT OUT ON APRIL 5; THE LATEST IT HAS EVER GONE OUT WAS IN 1992 WHEN IT WENT OUT ON MAY 6.

THIS YEAR THE CLOCK STOPPED BECAUSE THE ICE WITH THE PALLET AND FLAG DRIFTED UP THE POND AND DISCONNECTED THE CLOCK. AT ABOUT NOON TODAY, THE PALLET AND FLAG WERE BEING BLOWN UP THE POND BY A STRONG SOUTH WIND.

WATER LEVEL IS VERY HIGH AND THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE AROUND THE POND. HERE ARE A COUPLE OF PICTURES. YOU WILL RECOGNIZE PEARL ISLAND - THEIR LITTLE SHED HAS TOPPLED AND THE ISLAND IS NEARLY UNDER WATER. (Photo by Evelyn Richer) THE OTHER PICTURE IS THE END OF OUR DOCK - HALF OF IT BENT AND TORN APART BY THE CRUSH OF THE ICE. WATER IS HIGHER THAN IT WAS YESTERDAY AND STILL RISING. I'M SURE THERE WILL BE A LOT OF DAMAGE AROUND THE POND, UNFORTUNATELY. THE DAM IS OPEN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT CAN'T BEGIN TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE WATER. WE HAVE HAD SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON AND THERE IS MORE RAIN IN THE FORECAST.

AT LEAST WE HAVEN'T HAD A TORNADO - YET.