Quote:
Originally Posted by Hillcountry
Dan, in your island experience, how does the condition of the lake right now bode for an eventual freeze-up/ice in? I know coves and bays will catch but will the open areas (as in your cam shot) likely freeze enough to allow safe travel?
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Hi Hill;
I would say 8 out of the last 10 years the area around Welch froze completely over to safely reach my camp. Some years there has been 20+ inches of ice.
The last place to freeze on the entire lake is always the area known as the "alien hot tub". This is a large oblong area in the middle between Welch and Ellacoya State Park. Rumor has it that many years ago an unidentified flying object crashed there causing this delayed freeze effect to this day!
I can see this area from my home on the mainland in Gilford so I monitor it well. One year Emerson declared ice in when there was still about 6 football fields of open water there!!
Now to answer your question!...I think the freeze is definitely behind but I do think the lake will freeze over completely this year. The nights have been cold and more cold coming next week. We just need that initial skim of ice to keep the wind from affecting the freeze. Once that happens, ice will form quickly usually at a rate of 1" per day minimum. Calm and cold is the key!
Here's a few clips from years past from the same camera as in my above post and within the same time frame + or - a couple days. This will give you an idea where we are at...
January 11th 2019:
https://video.nest.com/clip/e9247dc8...901859eec3.mp4
January 13th 2017:
https://video.nest.com/clip/0254f547...2812f4ad36.mp4
January 7th 2016:
https://video.nest.com/clip/5ae083a7...4622d47342.mp4
Take care!
Dan