Official Ice-Out 2014 Thread

[Merrymeeting]

I hope I'm wrong, but we could see a lot of damage over the next few days.

Going outside, the sound of rushing streams is everywhere. The dog can't figure out what's going on. She just stands there and keeps looking around trying to figure out what it is and where it's coming from.

Unfortunately, this means the lake levels will probably start rising quickly, while everything is still locked in 24+ inches of ice.

Let's hope the edges and rocks open up as quickly.

[upthesaukee]

Originally Posted by Merrymeeting

I hope I'm wrong, but we could see a lot of damage over the next few days.

Going outside, the sound of rushing streams is everywhere. The dog can't figure out what's going on. She just stands there and keeps looking around trying to figure out what it is and where it's coming from.

Unfortunately, this means the lake levels will probably start rising quickly, while everything is still locked in 24+ inches of ice.

Let's hope the edges and rocks open up as quickly.

The lake has only risen by about an inch and a half in that 24 hr period. Perhaps by not getting as much rain as had been predicted, damage caused by the lake rising while still ice covered will be minimal.

Back to ice out itself.

[ishoot308]

April 1st and still solid as a rock on Welch island. No signs of melting anywhere around my dock or the edges even after all this rain...

[meredith weekender]

WOW, What a difference in less than a week.

[Island Girl]

I have only been watching ice for 14 years.... young compared to some of you. It has been my observation that the color of the ice in the spring tells a lot about the condition of the ice. A foot of gray punky ice can go very fast with a little rain, some warm temps and wind. The crystals bang against each other and dissipate.

The lake can appear to be socked in, but a very dark gray and then be completely liquid in two days. This happened about 6-7 years ago when the great predictor said it would be two more weeks and it was two more days.

While I agree that we will be later than average this year.... I am watching the color as an indication over thickness. Now.. if I saw two feet of solid black ice... I would be thinking June!

[Slickcraft]

Yes IG color does give us a good hint as to what is going on. I have posted this in prior years, from Minnesota but lake ice is lake ice. It is normal for the last stage go quickly with a strong wind, leaving those clinking "ice candles". We are quite a ways from that but lots of bright sunny days can make quick work.

http://www.minnesotawaters.org/group...lake-ice-melts

How Lake Ice Melts

In the late fall, the lake loses heat to the atmosphere, and then on a day or night when the wind is not blowing, ice forms. The ice gets thicker as long as the lake can continue to lose heat.
In most Januaries and Februaries, snow both reflects sunlight and insulates the lake. With a thick snow layer, the lake neither gains nor loses heat. The bottom sediment is actually heating the lake water slightly over the winter, from stored summer heat.
Around March, as the air warms and the sun gets more intense, the snow melts, allowing light to penetrate the ice. Because the ice acts like the glass in a greenhouse, the water beneath it begins to warm, and the ice begins to melt FROM THE BOTTOM.
When the ice thickness erodes to between 4 and 12 inches, it transforms into long vertical crystals called "candles." These conduct light even better, so the ice starts to look black, because it is not reflecting much sunlight.
Warming continues because the light energy is being transferred to the water below the ice. Meltwater fills in between the crystals, which begin breaking apart. The surface appears grayish as the ice reflects a bit more light than before.
The wind comes up, and breaks the surface apart. The candles will often be blown to one side of the lake, making a tinkling sound as they knock against one another, and piling up on the shore. In hours, a sparkling blue lake, once again

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

Panorama looking south across Paugus Bay. Christmas and Pixie Islands on the left and the start of the Weir's canal on the right.

More progress...

[Island Girl]

I just love that clinking sound... for the lovely sound it makes and for the promise it brings.

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

Yes IG color does give us a good hint as to what is going on. I have posted this in prior years, from Minnesota but lake ice is lake ice. It is normal for the last stage go quickly with a strong wind, leaving those clinking "ice candles". We are quite a ways from that but lots of bright sunny days can make quick work.

http://www.minnesotawaters.org/group...lake-ice-melts

[Blue Thunder]

Barry Uicker just tweeted out the Silver Sands daily picture...

http://nhboat.com/Nhboat/Features/ice/ice-out2014.htm

[Grant]

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

Barry Uicker just tweeted out the Silver Sands daily picture...

http://nhboat.com/Nhboat/Features/ice/ice-out2014.htm

Hahaha -- I was checking almost daily, and just saw it was up and was going to post it here. One of my favorite annual sites...

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

Since today was my first official day of retirement and my 47th trip around the sun, I figured I wasn't going to wait for ice out to enjoy the lake.
Life's too short...bring on the summer fun!!!

[tis]

You are too funny, PBFF! Did you get wet at all?

[Pineedles]

Where's your life vest?

[sum-r breeze]

Originally Posted by PaugusBayFireFighter

Since today was my first official day of retirement and my 47th trip around the sun, I figured I wasn't going to wait for ice out to enjoy the lake.
Life's too short...bring on the summer fun!!!

Oh Ya!!! Looks AWESOME!!! That's the best picture of you I've ever seen!!! Happy Birthday you old bastard. I still have 3 on you!!

The Breeze
Wave 'cuz i'll be wavin' back

[Pine Island Guy]

Originally Posted by PaugusBayFireFighter

Since today was my first official day of retirement and my 47th trip around the sun, I figured I wasn't going to wait for ice out to enjoy the lake.
Life's too short...bring on the summer fun!!!

PBFF - congratulations on retirement and your bday, what a perfect way to celebrate both! I am soooooooooo envious

cheers, and bring on ice OUT -PIG

[dippasan]

Originally Posted by PaugusBayFireFighter

Since today was my first official day of retirement and my 47th trip around the sun, I figured I wasn't going to wait for ice out to enjoy the lake.
Life's too short...bring on the summer fun!!!

I'll be snowmobiling tomorrow while I wait for ice out and you're drinking a beer while floating on the only open patch of open water there is on Winni.................I wanna party with you!!

[Wetbiker]

I'll be dumping the jetski's in on saturday

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

Originally Posted by Wetbiker

I'll be dumping the jetski's in on saturday

I was on a coffee ride and just saw two guys in a small aluminum boat chopping away at strips of ice coming out of the Weir's canal behind Liliuokalani's Ice Cream. They were able to cut two strips in half, not sure why.

I did notice the ice is melting nicely heading south through the canal towards Paugus. I'd say it melted a good 300 yards since yesterday with a large area of dark ice pointing south.

Lily Pond is still locked in from coast to coast. Lily can be a good compass for the big lake. I think Lily is usually 10 days ahead of Winni.

[Merrymeeting]

There doesn't seem to be much change in the past week for most of the ice pack, and I'm surprised that the ice isn't receding much from the rocks along much of the shoreline.

But I suspect that there may be changes happening underneath that we can't see. I.e., melting from the bottom up.

The last ice fishermen in front of my house last weekend reported 25-26" of ice. Now that the season is over, anyone out there with an auger who can periodically report for us? (as long as it remains safe to be on the ice)

[ghfromaltonbay]

Our local paper The Record (which covers Bergen & Passaic counties) in northern NJ has a picture of interest each day on Page 2. On Wed. the attached AP photo of Opening Day in Wolfeboro, NH was featured. Made me homesick.

[Wetbiker]

This evening 4/5

The ice is very thick. even on the edges in front of the weirs and in paugus bay. over a foot. BUT the ice is melting from the sun, you can see the air bubbles.....Another week or two

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

Originally Posted by Wetbiker

This evening 4/5

The ice is very thick. even on the edges in front of the weirs and in paugus bay. over a foot. BUT the ice is melting from the sun, you can see the air bubbles.....Another week or two

I saw/heard you heading onto the bay between my house and Pixie Island just around 6 tonight. (unless that was two other nuts!)

[Lakegeezer]

Originally Posted by PaugusBayFireFighter

Since today was my first official day of retirement and my 47th trip around the sun, I figured I wasn't going to wait for ice out to enjoy the lake.
Life's too short...bring on the summer fun!!!

Congrats on retirement! Great picture. If you have a Facebook account, you might want to enter the picture in the Common Man's "Show us some SPRING" contest.

[Greene's Basin Girl]

Originally Posted by PaugusBayFireFighter

Since today was my first official day of retirement and my 47th trip around the sun, I figured I wasn't going to wait for ice out to enjoy the lake.
Life's too short...bring on the summer fun!!!

Saw your photo on WMUR's U Local. It was on the 5:00 news. What a great photo!

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

Yes IG color does give us a good hint as to what is going on. I have posted this in prior years, from Minnesota but lake ice is lake ice. It is normal for the last stage go quickly with a strong wind, leaving those clinking "ice candles". We are quite a ways from that but lots of bright sunny days can make quick work.

http://www.minnesotawaters.org/group...lake-ice-melts

A close-up of one "ice candle" resting on a 2x4—more "ice candles" in the background:

[Webbsatwinni]

So exciting to see the ice give up. A great community of webcams and local pictures make it possible to enjoy it from CT while waiting to put the boat in. Here is my contribution today.

[Merrymeeting]

The next few days will be interesting. Very high temps tomorrow with lots of wind. I noticed the ice pack in front of my house moved significantly for the first time this morning. Unfortunately, this could also mean lots of damage as these large chunks of ice move around in the wind.

But mid-week we're going to have temps below freezing for a few nights. That will slow things down again.

[SteveA]

Opeeche is almost ice free, but I think that is due to the flow from the dam, and large parts of Winnisquam ore open around the car bridge and along the shore on the way to Tilton.

Lilly Pond was really looking dark yesterday afternoon, but Saltmarsh Pond is still locked up.