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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Trip Planning Forum :: Ice off date?
 
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egknuti
02/27/2019 06:24PM
 
It’s really too early to tell. Last year looked like the ice wouldn’t be off for the opener, but a rapid warm up in mid April took care of the snow and ice quite quickly.
 
nofish
02/27/2019 11:13AM
 
At the current rate I predict sometime in August. Our only hope might be that we get so much snow that the weight of the snow on top of the ice causes the entire sheet of ice to sink to the bottom of the lake leaving clear paddling above.
 
tumblehome
03/03/2019 08:44AM
 
Agreed, we can lose a lot of snow on a sunny 20' day.


The ice-out subject comes up about this time every year. It's far too early to tell. As spring marches on and the days get warmer, and longer, the ice out dates will reveal themselves. We can have an awfully cold, snowy winter but still get normal ice out dates. The weather in Mid-April is what matters.


Tom
 
Tlaker
02/26/2019 05:32PM
 
Couldn’t find one from this year, but what’s everybody thinking for ice off this year? Going up the week after opener. Hoping for no ice.
 
Gadfly
03/01/2019 09:38AM
 
nctry: "Papa09: "May 8th. Mark it down."




I’d lean for the first... I don’t think I’ve is that thick due to snow cover and that’ll go fast in my opinion once the sun begins doing it’s thing. I’m 100 miles west of the Bwca. Our lake tends to go out around April 20th... I would think it should be on track for that seeing the 10 day forecast and seeing what WW mentioned for the second half of March."



I agree.
I don't think the ice is as thick as it has been in other years. The sun is already strong enough that when the temps get over 20 the snow is melting.
 
carmike
03/03/2019 04:39PM
 
shock: "^^^ snow melts at 20* , new laws of physics ? "


The snow on the roads here in central MN was melting with temps in the single digits today (with bright sun). The sun angle is now sufficiently high that snow will melt with air temps can be well below 32F.
 
mapsguy1955
03/04/2019 01:42PM
 
Last year we went into Quetico on the 18th of May and there was no ice, but still catching Lakers in shallow water so the water was cold. We were swimming 5 days later with air temps pushing the low 90's... I'm going back in on the 17th this year. We will see! I doubt we will see last year's weather though.
 
Grandma L
02/26/2019 07:04PM
 
Personally, I am more worried about the snow coming in the next few days - weeks. bottom line - I hope we get ice out for opener.

2019 - Ice Out
2018 - Ice Out
 
shock
03/02/2019 08:57PM
 
^^^ snow melts at 20* , new laws of physics ?
 
thegildedgopher
03/02/2019 10:35PM
 
It sounds goofy, but there’s more to it than just air temp. Think energy, radiation, conduction, all that crazy stuff. Sun light is POWER!
 
nctry
02/28/2019 09:12PM
 
Papa09: "May 8th. Mark it down."



I’d lean for the first... I don’t think I’ve is that thick due to snow cover and that’ll go fast in my opinion once the sun begins doing it’s thing. I’m 100 miles west of the Bwca. Our lake tends to go out around April 20th... I would think it should be on track for that seeing the 10 day forecast and seeing what WW mentioned for the second half of March.
 
Papa09
02/28/2019 11:21AM
 
May 8th. Mark it down.
 
shock
03/04/2019 04:00PM
 
carmike: "shock: "^^^ snow melts at 20* , new laws of physics ? "



The snow on the roads here in central MN was melting with temps in the single digits today (with bright sun). The sun angle is now sufficiently high that snow will melt with air temps can be well below 32F. "
true Dat , been on many BW openers where the temps were 20* higher than the twin cities(sun angle) , BUT melting on black top roads with salt residue ;)
 
gravelroad
03/04/2019 04:40PM
 
Too bad Justine Kerfoot isn't around to temper the enthusiasms displayed here. ;-)


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