Official 2016 Ice-Out Thread
 

This is the Official 2016 Ice-Out Thread. If you reply to this thread all of the information about this year's ice-out will be easily accessible to our forum friends.

It is hard to believe it is only March 1 and the lake is melting. We are going to have an early ice-out for sure.

Post your observations, concerns, pictures and whatever else comes to mind re: ice-out. We love your pictures!

The Ice-Out page is up at http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/iceout.htm. There you will find all of the Winnipesaukee WebCams to watch the ice melt as well as links to special ice out features such as Saunder's Bay daily picture with information about previous year's ice out. (I will post link when it is available. this link if for a previous year)

Ice-out has occurred in recent years when the lake temperature is from 39-41 degrees as reported by the Winnipesaukee Dataphone at the Lakeport Dam. Today the temp is 38 degrees. Previous years include 2014-35 degrees, 2013-37 degrees and in 2012-41 degrees! We do not have a lot of warming up to do.

Let's get on with our favorite activity ... Ice-Out!

I heard it was going to happen on March 20th at 9:22am

well that would be record

The lake temp reached 38 degrees today at the lakeport dam. Ice out will definitely be early this year.

A week from today, the long range predictions are for temps in the 60's for a few days. That should help accelerate the process...

Way things are going a week from now most if not all the ice will be gone!

Wow! Ice out before Easter!

The lake is rising earlier than normal. We should hit the 'high' level of 4.32 after this rain. Today's reading is 4.05 at Lakeport. We usually see this rise a few weeks later.
Lake temp holding at 38.

I hope so but I think that's pretty wishful thinking! As long as its out by April 1st I'm good!!:)

Dan

Shouldn't be much doubt on that happening. :cheers:

No doubt it will be LONG gone by then, and isn't it also a shame April 1 is a Friday?

I know I'm not the only one who will be out "sick" for the day!

This is the first time that I have seen the lake this high so early in the year. Any idea what happens now?

Lily Pond
 

Just went by Lily Pond and its 3/4 open water! :eek:

Not sure what year it was (2009 maybe?) but ice out was before Easter. Easter was a really warm day as was Saturday when I put the boat in. The only problem was there was a lot of stuff floating including logs and pieces from docks which could ruin your day if you hit one.

I see The Meredith Area Chamber of Commerce Ice Out Contest closes their guesses on March 15. It may be out before that. As BT mentioned, next weeks temps are above average.

Today
 

Open water between Welch Island and Diamond Island at 1 pm. Quite a view from the top of Gunstock. Ames Farm, Rattlesnake Landing and West Alton Marina all iced in, but won't be long. A solo bob house on Alton Bay today

As I drove by there today I was reminded that less than five weeks ago there were motorcycles with studded tires blasting around on the pond.

What a short winter toy season!

Here come da MUD!

2010 was March 24th and 2012 was March 23rd. All the Ice-Out dates are listed on this page:

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/index.php?pageid=iceout

My opinion (guess?) is that enough ice will remain in the bays to block the Mount for several more weeks taking Ice-Out to the last week of March.

What a difference 2 weeks makes.

This picture was posted on FB. 3/3/16 10:30 AM

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...14793816_o.jpg

^^Saw it on facebook and liked it there, and I'm liking it here too...With another little one on the way in July I thought my boating season was going to be cut short. Who knew I'd be getting the 2 months I'll be missing out on early!:D

Yesterday
 

From the top of Gunstock yesterday afternoon you could see open water all the way across the Broads from Welch to Rattlesnake, a hole between Rattlesnake and Barndoor and another hole between Rattlesnake and the Landing. Sorry that I didn't take a picture.

Even with the cold weather the last couple of days the lake temp is holding at 38 degrees. Definitely heading in the right direction.

Seeing snow fall today doesn't seem like the right direction... but next week it's going to warm up so just a temporary set back!

Major crack opened on Merrymeeting today. Despite the cold, the ice recession continues. Will be interesting to see what happens with warm temps next week.

The long range forecast for the month is higher then normal temps. I think you will see the ice loss accelerate and be gone the earliest date yet.

Ice on the move
 

This spot has opened up just in the last 20 minutes since I've been at camp. The ice is popping and creaking like crazy! This is at the mouth of Braun Bay taken from just east of Far Echo Harbor Club on Moultonboro Neck.

ice in 2016 cam
 

I love this site because it shows view of all cams on one page. It's called ice in 2016. I have not been able to view it for a few days. Is the cam down? Thanks for any info, I miss it.

Ice out web cam page
 

Snowflake, the page changes with the season. Go to www.rattlesnakecam.com/iceout.htm. I will fix the redirect on the ice in page to point there. Thanks for letting me know.

IG

Your hyperlink needs a little fixin'
BT

Oh vey
 

Typing on an iPad mini...

Http://rattlesnakecam.com/iceout.htm

this one works
 

This link will get you to the web cams http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/lakecams.htm

Two pages for Island Girl's webcam views
 

I have two pages with lake cams. One is the focus on Lake Winnipesaukee and the other includes other lakes and places. The Winnipesaukee page has larger images, the lake temperature, my witty comments :laugh:, and is updated more frequently to accomodate new cams and broken links. This page has three iterations, watch.htm, icein.htm and iceout.htm. I suppose that is what is confusing people. It is the same page, but a different name to highlight ice-in and ice-out... easy to remember name.

The Lake Cams Page has much smaller images and is not updated as frequently.

Both pages have links to other lake information such as the lake levels.

In the past I put a redirect on the pages not in season to the page in season. For some reason the redirect is not working and I have not been able to figure out why.

These pages have live views of the cams, meaning you can scroll down the page quickly and see the whole lake without clicking on an image. If you click on an image a larger view of that image will open. Most other people's webcam pages are just pictures that you click on to see the current view.

Here are the seasonal pages

Ice-out
http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/iceout.htm

Ice-in
http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/icein.htm

Rest of the year
http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/watch.htm

If you cannot find the page there is always a link on the home page at
http://www.rattlesnakecam.com

Let's watch the ice melt!!!
IG

Melting already
 

Let's get on with our favorite activity ... Ice-Out!
All right then, check this out!
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...attach/jpg.gif

And visit http://www.ICE-OUT.com for many more photos!

Thanks
 

Island Girl, thanks for your help. I'm back in business and enjoying the views!

I hope this is OK to post here...
 

I know Emerson Aviation are the ones that declare Ice-Out so I will omit the link to the web page that posted this (just in case it is not appropriate for this site).

Lakeport is reporting a water temperature of 39 degrees today. With the warm weather this week and rain next week its going to be an early ice out.

I heard it was going to happen on March 20th at 9:22am

Monday afternoon
 

Here is a pic (hopefully) of the lake from the top of Gunstock taken yesterday afternoon. The view is between Welch and rattlesnake Island looking northeast. If you blow it up you can see the ice(covered with an inch of new snow) and the open water. I could see ice moving around as the day went on, but this is taken at about 345pm.

Another cam to check out for Ice Out
 

Here's another one from Rattlesnake Island. This cam looks west from the "peninsula" of Rattlesnake Island towards Gilford and Diamond Island.

http://www.rattlesnakeisland.net/cam.htm

The dock looks a little askew.....

Hopefully we will see lots of changes out there today, it's warm out! :)

NH Boat
 

The ice-out page on NHBoat.com from Silver Sands Marina is online for 2016. The "ole man of the lake" is predicting a March 16th ice-out.

Silver Sands Ice-Out Page
 

Thanks Janet, I have put the link on my webcams page so you all can watch ice-out.

http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/iceout.htm

IG

The ice is getting very dark; the ice candles have formed and solar heat melt from the bottom is on the way. Need lots of direct sun.

Lots of Harley's on the road, mine has 600' of gravel mud season between it and the road. Looks like I'll have to get an estimate for paving.

The 2016 stickers are on the Eastern and the slip below it has melted. Just this little problem of 1.5 miles of ice between it and Welch. Now if IG, being in charge of ice out, could tap the throttle forward a bit more.:D

Things are opening up near Akwa as well:

http://akwa.m2mcamview.com/cam1/latest.jpg

Today
 

WOW! Today did some significant damage to the ice. With the continued warm weather and tons of rain for tomorrow this could be EPIC!

It sure is askew!! The dock was very old, and broke in half sometime this fall - maybe a month or so after closing up. It was getting real weak.

So, I have to fix it. May just graft a couple of pieces of wood to each side to hold it together, and wait for warm weather to really fix it correctly....

I predicted March 16th in the ice-out contest also!

I beg to differ
 

March 13 :laugh: Either way, we are in for an early start to the season always a good thing especially after the winter that wasn't.

Ice-out.
 

It's interesting looking at the forecast for the rest of the month...

http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/lac...eather/1172_pc

I'm going with March 28th, 1:17 pm. :)

A year ago
 

A year ago we were discussing record late ice out. What a difference a year makes.

Ice out March 17, 335 P.M. kerk

A couple of pics showing the progress from 03/03 to 03/10.

Silver Sands is up
 

http://nhboat.com/Nhboat/Features/ic...out%202016.htm

If you forget this URL, you can always go to http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/iceout.htm where you will find everything you need to know about Ice-Out.

IG

Sinking ice
 

Could this be a year in which the ice just sinks and disappears instead of moving down the lake in large icebergs that tear docks apart?

I don't see any outrageous wind in the forecast for the next week.

IG

:cool:

Saturday looks pretty windy. Ice will probably "go out" then. my guess was WAY late (3/26).

Darn it Darn it Darn it..... I have to get my boat Registered... I am a procrastinator...

Is there ice on lily pond by the airport?

Alton Bay ice
 

Does anyone (Upthesaukee?) have an update, or photos of the progress of the ice on Alton Bay. I feel it will be the last to fall for the official ice out.

I heard it was going to happen on March 20th at 9:22am

With a 12 mph wind today and tomorrow and it wont be long at all before its gone. Happy boating !!!!!

today
 

going up today and will try to get pics

Ice out halfway to the bandstand yesterday, and the ice is out by Ship Is and Moose, and beyond.

I live here... I am always Upthesaukee.

The lake is on the move
 

Once the river open up in front of my house the broads starts to move and break up. While this river may skim over at night, it quickly goes away the next morning. With the ice so thin to begin with, it won't be long before this is all liquid.

Attachment 11604

View from Mink Island today
 

Won't be long now....

Anyone have updates on 19 mile bay area? Someone really needs to get a webcam in there or convince the Emerson Aviation guys to take some photos in that area. We already know the broads are open and I get tired of looking at Alton Bay and Rattlesnake Island all the time.

Aerial Pics tomorrow
 

They are doing a fly over tomorrow. Go to http://www.ice-out.com/ to see the most recent images. You might email your request for 19 mile Bay to Bill Hemmel from there.

IG

Looking forward to Alton Bay being iced out since the public docks are there. Anyone know when they start putting someone at the Meredith town docks or other launch facilities?

What do you mean "putting someone at the Meredith town docks"? Town docks are generally not staffed in any way.

The webcam labeled Alton Bay is mine. Glad you like it.:) Ice out is coming soon. Summer cannot be far behind.

Gilford is staffed, although not this early in the season.

Good Grief
 

Maybe instead of telling others what they need to do for your personal amusement you should make an effort to seek out the many other webcams that show ice conditions in numerous areas of the lake.

Sorry, the public launch ramp at the meredith town docks. They generally staff it with someone to collect the $20 non-resident launch fee and ask about aquatic nuisance prevention, etc. I just was wondering if it was something Memorial day weekend and after, weekends only, etc.?

...Either that, or I've been giving money to some random guy with a clipboard at the picnic table for the last few years :laugh:.

I don't trailer my boat, so I'm not an authority on this, but it was my understanding that you can launch/retrieve anytime during normal boating season. If there is someone onsite and they are collecting money, maybe you have to pay them, but the absence of that person doesn't mean you can't use the ramp.

Or, maybe I have the wrong understanding.

Yeah I would assume that any of the public access ramps would have a gate across them if there were certain times of the year you weren't allowed to use them (like the one at Winnisquam). I was just asking if there were times of the year one could avoid the launch fee :).

...Back to the discussion at hand, anyone have any updated pictures of the ports of call of the Mount?

Its still moving
 

I have watched my video cam from time to time and the whole lake is moving not just my little river. It's goin'

IG

Cattle and Bear
 

Seeing a lot of movement the past 2 hours

blue water is pushing south
 

Move over ice... Water is coming

What webcam
 

What webcam is labeled Alton webcam? The Morin Insurance one isn't working

blue water is pushing south
 

Move over ice... Water is coming

Visitde Alton Bay today (1st photo), Toward Rattlesnake Is. from Woodlands Rd Alton (2nd photo) and 3rd break in the ice near the mouth of Alton Bay. Ice is very dark. Won't be long now.

Shibley's at the Pier deck in Alton is ready and waiting for Ice Out.

Ice Out
 

Ice out should be next week. :D

Productive melting day
 

Yesterday's melt was significant with the broads opening up. Snake Eyes shows liquid as far as the eye can see. It is forcing my brain to think it is April instead of March. Today should add to the open water in other areas of the lake.

IG

usually Emerson gives us about a week warning so I hope for March 30

From the Winnipesaukeecam, Alton Bay
 

From the Winnipesaukeecam on Alton Bay, between Echo Point and Little Mark, on the east side of the bay. Ice is black, and pulling away from the store.

With temps above freezing virtually 24X7 in the 10 day, and 4 solid days of rain this coming week, ice out will be well before March 30th.

A wee bit of change from 3 days ago looking from Belknap Point.

Glendale docks still have some ice and Smith Cove a lot of ice. The Eastern will splash on Monday at Fay's and then will await open water in the cove.

First trip to Rattlesnake
 

Just back from trip to Rattlesnake Island, I will attach pics of west side of island. Some ice south of peninsula. The Landing and area between Sleeper and mainland still has ice. Broads open all the way across. Still can't get to Barndoor/Wolfeboro or Alton Bay. Ice is not very thick and is not likely to survive long.

19 and 20 mile bay
 

GMan.... Sorry to say 19 and 20 mile Bay have always to go. No open water only around the docks. White ice and some snow along the shore line some open water behind Farm island. Otherwise no open water can be seen. The ice is just starting to turn a light grey. It has been reported that there is still 8 inches of ice out in the bays.

^^Does that have an affect on declaration of ice out? I'm not familiar enough with the Mount's route.

I'd be shocked if ice out wasn't declared in the next week. The small lake I am on (of course) is only socked in at the boat launch. A solid half or more of the lake is already open.

Launch Fees
 

If you wish to avoid launch fees, simply come up before 7am. Fees in most towns are collected by "cadets who are college kids who are dressed up and assigned to ramps Most work from 7am to 3pm. Fees are not collected by anyone when the boat comes out of the water, regardless of the hour. If you launch after 3:pm same applies, but there are ramps like Shep Browns who do collect for the town and they close at 5pm
Before you elect to avoid paying a launch fee do some research into where that money goes!! I can assure you the money is not wasted.

could be earliest ice out on record

Ice Candles
 

Huge Shout out to the guys at Emerson Aviation and Bill Hemmel! Someone on this form suggested I contact them in regards to a specific part of the lake that isn't generally considered in part of the Ice-Out Declarations and they delivered despite the original response to my request was that they couldn't do it. Donated to the ice-out.com for this one, http://www.ice-out.com/Winnipesaukee/i-NbkBcz6/A

Winnisquam
 

Winnisquam looks open south of Pot Island.

Those are some fantastic pictures. It's amazing the difference between open water and solid white ice just a few miles apart.

Ice candles on Winnipesaukee
 

I made this video last year.
For anyone wondering why they call it 'candle ice', this should explain.
Notice the date was April 20th putting Paugus 5 weeks ahead of last year!
http://youtu.be/X5u3nGRCDe4

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X5u3nGRCDe4?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Great pictures !!!