Ice Report - Not a Normal Year

 We have another inch and a half of new snow on top of a variety of crusty or icy conditions on roads and  other flat surfaces. It's hard to know exactly what is underfoot, thank to the changeable weather we've had so far this winter. Today the temperature has remained in the 20s, closer to normal than it has been, but the forecast is for it to be in the mid to upper 30s later this week.

With the end of the Joe's Pond Ice-Out Contest only about eight weeks away (April 1), tickets are being distributed to local outlets and requests are coming in the mail. I will begin to post ice conditions from time to time until the flag drops and the clock stops, ending the contest. 

I reached out to my friend, Bob Mackay who has fished through the ice on Joe's Pond for years. He tells me he measured 10 inches of white ice last week. He described it as "good and strong," but we notice there have been no trucks or cars on the ice this winter - at least not that we've seen. ATVs, yes, and snowmobiles, but obviously, experienced fishermen are being cautious.

I am familiar with blue ice - that is the most dense and strong, also longest lasting ice found on a body of water. That's what old-time ice cutters here at Joe's Pond hoped for each year because it preserved well in layers of sawdust in ice houses so people had ice throughout each summer until the new supply could be harvested again. When the ice on the pond reached a thickness of 12 inches or more, usually by mid-January, it was ready for harvesting. Sometimes the hard, blue ice had a layer of white ice created when a warm spell with rain left water on top of the ice and snow fell and mixed with the water and froze, creating air pockets. When this happened, the blocks of ice didn't keep as long, and those folks who depended on it to preserve food during warm months often found the supply of ice ran out before the end of the warm months. 

This winter we've had unusual temperature swings with rain, snow, deep cold, and not always in logical order. The pond froze over and then opened up again several times before it finally iced over completely. Shortly after it froze over we had two December storms a week apart with heavy, wet snow interspersed with freakishly warm weather, rain, and some nights that were near or below zero. A thick covering of snow insulates the ice beneath it, so even those very cold nights wouldn't thicken the ice much, if at all. 

I went on line to see what I could find out about types of pond ice, and a Maine website had this:

• Light gray to dark black – Melting ice, this can occur even if the air temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius). This ice is not safe, it will be a weak density and cannot hold weight, STAY OFF.
• White to opaque – This is water-saturated snow that froze on top of the ice which forms another thin ice layer. This can often lead to air pockets from being so porous.
• Blue to clear – High density, very strong, safest ice to be on if thick enough, you should stay off if under 4 inches (10cm) thick.
• Mottled and slushy or “rotten” ice – when judging this type of ice, it won’t be so much the color but the texture. You can tell by the ice thawing and slushy. This type of ice can be deceptive as it might seem thick at the top, however it is “rotting” away at the center and base. Most prevalent to see this kind of ice in the spring, it may even show signs of mud, debris, and plant matter surfacing from the bottom of the water body.

 The State of Vermont has warned to check the ice carefully and measure frequently as it hasn't frozen uniformly on lakes and ponds. They are saying, "No ice is safe ice." So what does this mean for the Joe's Pond Ice-Out Contest? It could mean that we could have an early ice out date, although, if we had a lot of really cold weather during February and March, or a lot more snow, that could delay melting. However, with only 10 inches of white ice at the end of January when we normally would have 18 to 24 inches of solid blue ice, anything could happen. 

I'll have Bob give me reports in the weeks ahead so you can make the best  possible guesses before you turn in your tickets. There is no formula for winning this contest - no way to beat the odds. Everything depends on the weather, and we all know how fickle that can be, even in a  "normal" year!

Stay safe, and don't trust any ice.