How quick does ice melt?

[spb802]

Anybody have an idea on how fast ice will melt at say 38 degrees. Want to get out after work today just wondering with the minimal ice cover we have, how much we'll loose today with the mid to high thirties temp. I figured after today it's pretty much a no go for a while til cooler temps come back around. Thanks guys

[PerchSlayer67]

Anybody have an idea on how fast ice will melt at say 38 degrees. Want to get out after work today just wondering with the minimal ice cover we have, how much we'll loose today with the mid to high thirties temp. I figured after today it's pretty much a no go for a while til cooler temps come back around. Thanks guys

All depends on how much ice there is where you will be fishing and how much slush/snow is on top of the ice... The ice isn't going to melt much at 38 degrees.. Ice won't even melt at say 35. I had 8" of ice Sunday and no snow on top and I'm not worrying one bit about going back Friday even after all the rain. It might melt a little bit, but not much. If anything it will add some more future ice on the top layer. Good luck.

[spb802]

Thanks perchslayer, no snow on top I'm more worried about these 40's day coming. Found this link has a little bit of informative info on ice melt that might help people in the future....http://lakeice.squarespace.com/thawed-ice/

[troutcrazy]

Good article.  I'll be checking this thread often, hoping to hear from those more experienced than I am.

[TRT]

Great question and some reports suggest a layer of water between
layers of ice. 

[fishingidjit]

Thanks perchslayer, no snow on top I'm more worried about these 40's day coming. Found this link has a little bit of informative info on ice melt that might help people in the future....http://lakeice.squarespace.com/thawed-ice/

 Nice article ,very informative. Thanks

[NEK_VT]

"Rain has relatively little effect on ice.  An inch of rain falling in 40 degree air temps has enough thermal energy to melt about 1/16" of ice.  Large puddles from heavy rain are likely to form larger drain holes as the cloudy conditions don't generate lots of triple junction pores to drain the puddles through many small holes."

I would have thought that rain would have had more of an effect.  I will be testing the thickness after Christmas. 

[thebigwiggle]

Nice article ,very informative. Thanks

yes i second that motion..    That was very good article and very informative.

[dave bartlett]

     Excellent Article.I have been fishing for over 48 yrs and new all this but NEVER looked at it the way it was presented.Make a long story short,if i read this two years ago i probably would not have gone through up at the Dam.I have been out on the lakes in these conditions plenty of times before with a vehicle and without.Thank You so much for posting this article.It was a eye opener.

[felix]

I stole your link and posted it on the main community board. Being a safety type deal I figured you wouldn't mind. You may be saving lives all across the world right now. Thanks. 

[spb802]

Haha no worries. I hope it's helpful for a few, I am as ready as anyone to get out on some ice but not willing to risk it. I will be using that info in the spring as well as the temps rise to help judge safe ice and melt from current weather conditions. Good luck all and hoping for a good few days of nice cold weather to harden things back up.

[LeoMDK]

... Found this link has a little bit of informative info on ice melt that might help people in the future....http://lakeice.squarespace.com/thawed-ice/

Hello, I am a person from the future, and yes -- this was very helpful. Thanks!

[PenguinIII]

Excellent article, should be required reading for all of us. Thanks for posting, stay safe guys

[Dickbakers]

yes i second that motion..    That was very good article and very informative.

Great article.  It warns that two days of warm wind is bigger concern than rain.
Be some time before we have good ice again.  But remember that winter only began four days ago.
All snow gone in white mountains.  Howling warm wind.

[TRT]

36 hours of strong warm wind combined with couple inches of rain my spud is staying in the garage. 10 day forecast looks awful, as I use to say as a toddler firetruck...

[Dickbakers]

Your forecast show below freezing until possible rain for
New Year's.  I hope small pond survived Christmas?
Dick

[TRT]

We had at least couple inches of rain an strong wind for 36 hours  going to clean out the garage.

[Dickbakers]

I'm imagining a freeze before New Year's day.  Black ice will hold off some rain until Artic Blast comes in for January.  I still don't have much hope for big lakes.
Dick

[Dickbakers]

  Artic  blast went to Canada!!  I don't see another in near future. 

[Troutmagnet]

The article made for great reading and gives me a better respect for changing ice conditions. Thanks!!!

[Dickbakers]

  Back to original question.  38 degrees during the day and 20 degrees all night and you might have same ice next morning?   Unless we get rain and warm winds it probable that we might see tiny bit more ice each night for a while.  We need single digits and no snow.

[Boatless in BTV]

Back to original question.  38 degrees during the day and 20 degrees all night and you might have same ice next morning?   Unless we get rain and warm winds it probable that we might see tiny bit more ice each night for a while.  We need single digits and no snow.

You're pretty much right on here.

A high of 38 and a low of 20 gives an approximate average daily temperature of 29. Under normal circumstances that's going to make around .2 inches of ice per day.

Even if we get to average weather for this time of year (high 28, low 12 for 12/31 in Burlington) we'll be on hardwater a lot sooner.