Weather History as a Predictor of Ice Conditions
Ice is constantly changing: getting thicker or thinner. Holes are forming or freezing up. Pressure ridges are forming and evolving. One of the best predictors of what to expect on ice you are planning to go out on is the weather history, particularly over past week or so. Even a few hours above freezing can significantly change the ice conditions. For most of us, our memory for weather specifics from a week ago is not great. It is easy to overlook a brief, intense warm spell.
I have been using the weather underground.com . They have an extensive database of weather history. When you get to the main page, pick a city that best represents the ice you are interested in.
6 foot long puddle hole two days after the 1/25/10 thaw
Three foot diameter, de-roofed gas hole in Sandbar gas hole field,- 1/27/10
Bob 9/11/11
