Ice & Snow....
 

DRH,

What's the weather over your way today? Not seeing much talk of the storm here, wondering how or if it is building up on the ice at all? :confused:

Skip

At the Merrymeeting end of the bay...
 

I just went up to McGraths and there is about 2.5 inches on the ground in my yard (just above Keywadin park & Sandy Point area), and the end of the bay has some snow on it, but it is mainly just blowing around. Big fear I have is that it will cover the really thin areas, such as the "current area" of the river that was open to beyond the Pavillion just a few days ago. Ditto with thin areas in and around bubblers.

We have not gotten much snow so far in today's storm. It's hard to give an accurate accumulation figure due to the blowing, but at this time I would estimate we have about 2" - 3" on the ground. Judging by the weather radar updates, the snow will probably taper off in the next couple hours. It's snowing heavily right now, so if the storm lingers we may get a few more inches. Most of us were hoping for a lot more snow! There really hasn't been any snowmobiling season here yet this winter.

Where in the world is this winter's winter???
 

Ditto here, only put 75 miles on the new sled....I even splurged this season for a pair of Collett Communicators for me & the boss, they work great from the living room to garage!

My fear with this light covering is the eager beavers getting back out there and going through the ice again, like the scenario we had several weeks ago. Its been real bad up Pittsburg way, with a number of sleds into the water, especially around areas like upthesaukee just mentioned!

Supposed to warm up mid week but long range is for more very cold weather and possible stormy pattern commencing around the arrival of next weekend.

Still hoping to get enough snow/freeze to sled over the mountain and down to your bay to say hello to you & the missus, Mee-n-mac also owes me a tall tale & ale or two also....but we're quickly running out of winter here!

Stay warm,

Skip

You guys are going to have to come south. We've got at least 15" in Hollis and the cornfields are already buzzing with snow machines.

Head south for winter....
 

That's what I've been seeing all day on the telly!

Maybe I'll have to bring the new sled to work tomorrow, work's just down the road from one of the Rockingham Junction trails....if the diehards haven't already blown the snow off the old rail beds already!:)

Snow you say!
 

[QUOTE=DRH]We have not gotten much snow so far in today's storm. It's hard to give an accurate accumulation figure due to the blowing, but at this time I would estimate we have about 2" - 3" on the ground. Judging by the weather radar updates, the snow will probably taper off in the next couple hours. It's snowing heavily right now, so if the storm lingers we may get a few more inches. Most of us were hoping for a lot more snow! There really hasn't been any snowmobiling season here yet this winter.[/QUOTE

I think the babes have the steps down but their aim is off. Pull the snow north where it is supposed to be. Some areas around here got close to 2 feet of the white stuff. Record snow in New York City. Gee, perhaps they let snow mobiles in Central Park?

And of all days my snow blower gave me trouble. I'm up to my @#&:eek: in snow.

Our yard is a little bit sheltered from the wind, and there was right at 3 inches in several locations in the yard at 7PM when I went out and shovelled. Of course, our plow guy doesn't plow until we get 4 inches, and of course he came by at 8!!!!! I knew I shudda waited!

...no $now here!
 

Here in Waterville Valley, where snow is spelled $now, all we got was about one inch or less. Just enough to cover the grass and leaves but not enough to reopen all the cross country ski trail's that have been closed for two weeks.

Yesterday, there were about five suv's and trucks about a half a mile out in Center Harbor Bay, out on the ice. Yesterday the ice was all solid, looking from South Bear Island to Governor's Island to Timber Island but no one was out on the ice.

Maybe Wal-Mart will volunteer to truck snow from Central Park, Manhattan to Waterville Valley just like they helped out the Katrina victims with medical supplies..........now that makes sense!

Thanks for the update
 

Thanks, DRH and Upthesaukee.....I was hoping for more promising news, but it is what it is. Yeah, it's probably Minge Cove Road. I'm not that familiar, but I know we park on a dead end and go onto the lake through a marina which I believe to be in Minge Cove. Then we shoot out between Sleepers and ?? to get to Rattlesnake. We've never had a problem before, but I sure don't want there to be a first time.

Thanks again.

Snow, Ice, etc.
 

We received a lovely snow cover of 15" in Clinton, MA yesterday.... and my sled is in NH.. who knew?

Be careful in Minge Cove... a dock bubbler at the end of the cove as you go into the channel is making the ice thin... additionally the inlet that runs into the side of Minge Cove is still pouring water in... making for moving water and thin ice on the side of the channel..

Basically the ice can be thin on both the left and right sides coming out of Minge Cove.

The Babes will try to redirect the dancing to ice making and very cold weather. The coming forecast is not promising so we are turning the music up louder and dancing faster!

IG and the Babes on Sleds

Thanks DRH and UPTHESAUKEE for the pics of the open water, sure doesn't look that big from my place.

We got 1" of snow at the Weirs, maybe some of you guys from down south can bring up some this weekend, after Fridays forcasted rain that is.:emb:

We just finished clearing our driveway and stairs, and it appears we got about 2" on average here. Strange, as it snowed all day, but that's all it amounted to. Very light and fluffy.

Here in Northern MA, the same thing, the news reports 17 inches in my town, there is no way there is 17 inches of snow out there. All this talk about a blizzard, it looked more like light snow to me.

Maybe the coast caught the brunt of the storm, at most we had heavy snow for 30 minutes in the afternoon. I would guess less than 12 inches. Where are they measuring snow fall from, resenlty plowed banks?

Ice-in Ice Out... which is it.
 

With the forecast for this week, higher sun in the sky and large areas of open water I fear we will not have ice-in this year... then again... we could have an early ice-out... Brrrrr... cold nights at the camp in late March, chilly boat rides, burgers on the grill, Hot chocolate, Hot mint tea, Slingbox with Tivo, Hmmm .... this is beginning to sound good... Maybe the babes should be doing the ice out dance.

God Bless airboats!

Weekend pictures
 

I have not posted my weekend pictures of the lake conditions yet on Photopost, but some of them are here: http://islandgirl.smugmug.com/gallery/1197471

I hope to get to them this week but cannot promise anything. I will upload the rest to this site as all it is is a drag and drop. I do not see any reason for those holes to close this year... One can always hope.

IG

Going out to check.....
 

Thanks for the heads up, Island Girl. We decided we're going to recon it this afternoon. A couple of guys are going to go in from Minge Cove and go across to Rattlesnake on foot, provided they can get that far.
Before we bring the crew up, we figured we'd scout it out.

Thanks to everyone for the info....I'll post our results later this afternoon!! :cool:

Whoa!
 

Out between Cub and Sleepers and Rattlesnake was a circle of ice over ice sheets with open water in between... The ice out there is very variable and any snow cover from yesterday would mask that... I would not be going out there myself... The ice is not safe. This report was from an airboat.... I REPEAT... IT MAY NOT BE SAFE OUT THERE!!!!

Photo from this weekend
 

Yes, there are a number of strange open spots remaining, although the deep cold over the past week or so has made a difference. I did some poking around this weekend, and here are some photos:

Trucks and bob houses on 19 Mile Bay - Friday afternoon:

http://i.pbase.com/g3/49/16149/2/56051649.IMG_1167.jpg

http://i.pbase.com/g3/49/16149/2/56051650.IMG_1169.jpg

Bubblers doing their duty at 19 Mile Bay docks:

http://i.pbase.com/g3/49/16149/2/56051651.IMG_1168.jpg

Ice ridge (and some open water from bubbler) forming from Wawbeek shore to Black Island (Camp Winaukee):

http://i.pbase.com/g3/49/16149/2/56051653.IMG_1171.jpg

Gunstock, bob house, thin ice:

http://i.pbase.com/g3/49/16149/2/56051655.IMG_1172.jpg

Gunstock viewed from Abenaki Tower:

http://i.pbase.com/g3/49/16149/2/56052071.IMG_1189.jpg

Melvin Bay toward Moultonboro Bay from Abenaki Tower:

http://i.pbase.com/g3/49/16149/2/56052074.IMG_1191.jpg

Previously viewed ice ridge grows after a night of cold:

http://i.pbase.com/g3/49/16149/2/56052097.IMG_1216.jpg

Ice boats and open water on Wolfeboro Bay:

http://i.pbase.com/g3/49/16149/2/56052307.IMG_1233.jpg

Yours truly on Chocorua Lake:

http://i.pbase.com/g3/49/16149/2/56052315.IMG_1250.jpg

The always majestic Mt. Washington:

http://i.pbase.com/g3/49/16149/2/56052656.IMG_1268.jpg

And the ice ridge continues to grow -- Saturday evening:

http://i.pbase.com/g3/49/16149/2/56053611.IMG_1277.jpg

Ice from the sky..
 

I did an "Ice Flight" on Jan 27, and another today, with Dave Emerson of Emerson Aviation. I'm sorry to report that there appears the be LESS ice today than there was three weeks ago! Dave's impression was that much of the ice is 2-3" thick (he should know).

Take a look at these two images, taken three weeks apart near Rattlesnake:

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...1&d=1139867676
Jan 27th

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...1&d=1139867689
Feb 13th

There's also a much larger hole at the east end of Meredith bay, north of the Weirs:
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...1&d=1139867705

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...1&d=1139867720

And some especially daring ice fisherman in Sanders Bay:
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...1&d=1139867735

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!

Bill

Thanks Bill
 

Thanks for the pictures... the ice report for the airboat people on Friday was mostly 6 inches from Minge Cove to the NW end of Rattlesnake with a lot of rifts and some water within the rifts.

Your pictures reveal how scary it is out there.

Very fluffy snow
 

Not sure where you are, but we measured 17.7 inches over the duration of the storm here in Townsend, MA. Between 7:35 and 8:30 in the morning, we got 3.5" of snow. The next hour, the snow rate was 2.5". Since it was very light, fluffy snow, it quickly compacts to nothing in a day.

See what we got
 

Maybe I can load some of this in my truck and bring it to the lake this Saturday!;) So we can get a snowmobile ride!

Ice conditions around Tuftonboro islands
 

Thanks to all who have posted information on ice conditions, especially the photos from 19 mile bay.

Has anyone been out past Chase Point and over toward Cow and Little Bear? If so, what are things like out that way? We want to get out to check on out place but with ice conditions so variable were hoping for more information before planning a trip. :confused:

Pictures
 

It is great that these pictures of lake conditions are all in one place. If you are posting pictures here and want them to also appear on the Ice-In page as well ( so everyone possible to know how dangerous it is out there, please send permission or pictures to rattlesnakecam@comcast.net. If the picture is in photopost (a great place to collect them, I can just link to them. Then they are all stored in one place for future reference.

Thanks

6 inches.....
 

Hey Island Girl, you're right-on.....a consistent 6 inches from Minge to Rattlesnake (the north side). We walked across and chipped inspection holes as we went. South of Rattlesnake looks pretty scary, though. Great aerial photos. We'll be making a bee-line across this weekend and staying put at camp. No wondering this year :(

Weirs guy, I got $10 on 6 sleds/trucks through the ice this weekend....we can only hope no injuries/fatalities.....

Ice Out
 

Maybe it is time to put up the Ice-Out page... take a look at the WeirsCam... It's melting, it's melting....

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/cam/mpcamera1.jpg

so who would win ice out if there is not an ice in? :D

Converse or reverse true????
 

If ice out occurs when the Mount can make it to all of its ports of call ice free, then I would assume (oh boy, that word again:rolleye2: ), the converse / inverse / reverse / like the opposite would indicate ice in, that is the Mount cannot make it to all ports of call because of ice.

Like most people, I certainly would rather have an ice in mean that the lake was totally frozen, but then someone would probably say "the Weirs channel is open" or the channel into back bay in Wolfeboro is open. I guess we can't win.:confused:

As upthesaukee said, the ice is IN now since the Mount can't travel between its ports.

It would seem that Ice-Out would be very early this year but we've seen in the past that ice blocking only one port can delay Ice-Out from being declared. In 2001 (May 2) there was already boating on most of the lake even though Ice-Out had not been declared because of ice blocking Wolfeboro.

Since the ice is officially in now there will definitely be Ice-Out contest winners!

We've also seen that March and April can be as "New Englandish" as the other months have been. If either or both prove to be unusually cold, ice out could be the about the same time as always.

I am always amazed when I look at the historical temps and averages how consistent Mother Nature can be.

Are they really going to go ahead with the fishing derby this weekend?
Sounds like there may be alot of people going for unintentional swims or worse if they do have it.

The ice at the Weirs is definitly shrinking from what we made up last week. Its 50° out right now, and its only supposed to be cold during the derby. If enough people go thru this weekend, we may have ice out by Monday.:confused:

I just heard the Derby is off anyone no for sure?
Thanks

Web site says its still on
 

According to their official website, it is still a go....

Meredith Rotary Official Derby Page

Check it out....

Skip

Derby is ON!
 

Just called to confirm that the web is correct and was told that the derby is a go. I hope that everyone uses their heads ans stay's safe. I wonder if local fire/ems have contingency plans for the ice situation? I am sure that there will be a cold water/ice rescue or two this weekend.

Ice Danger on Big Lake!
 

Yet another followup story in today's Citizen expressing official concerns for the dangerous ice conditions on Winnipesaukee.

Officials Warn of Ice Dangers on Big Lake

Courtesy of the Citizen on-line site! :)

Skip

It has the makings of a disaster

I know that the Derby is a big money maker and it is a great time. That being said, I find it somewhat irresponsible that the Derby is going forward this weekend. Couldn't it wait another week? Please be safe!

Winni Derby
 

To any and all WinniDerby participants: Be safe and have fun!

Because of the thin ice, you may want to consisder traveling in pairs or more - the more, the merrier. Carry a cell phone. Don't drink too much -- be sure you can dial 911 and speak coherently should you need to do so. Maybe a long rope to help quickly retrieve someone from icy waters? Just some suggestions. Some things I would do....

Enjoy, but please be safe. Happy fishing!

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