First Alert Weather In-Depth: Check and measure before walking on the ice

Rochester, N.Y. – As you probably know, the last few winter seasons we have not been very cold. The arctic air that is needed to generate ice on the surrounding lakes has been very limited. However, this winter has been little different. This particular season has had long periods of arctic temperatures, which is more reminiscent of the winters of old. 

Recently, I went out to Lake Riley near Cobbs Hill to see how much ice had formed this winter. The only way to definitively do that is to cut a hole in the ice and measure the thickness.  I was not surprised, at least on this day, it was more than three inches thick. That is substantial and does give some measure of safety if walking on the ice. But please keep in mind there is still a safety issue that is highly dependent on how much weight you place on the ice. An ice thickness chart shows the depth of the ice (and consequently the safety factor) is directly proportional to the weight of the object, such as a snowmobile. To safely dive a sled on the ice you would need a minimum of five to six inches.

It is common sense, the colder the air over a longer period of time, the faster and thicker the ice will grow. If you select my video from this story, you will see the specific data showing these safety values.  But it is important to remember that any measurement does not guarantee a level of uniform ice and thickness can vary from location to location.  So, if you have any doubts, always choose the safe alternative!  And it is important to have a plan ready just in case things do not work out the way you expect.