A few years ago I was looking at a USGS map of the Arctic Circle from the 1940s. Some areas which were listed as “permanent pack ice” are now ice free for months on end.
There are places where an annual winter event is to drive an old pickup truck out onto the middle of a frozen lake and then place bets about when the ice will meld enough for the truck to fall through in the Spring. Not sure if the fishing is any good… Lake bottom is filling up with old pickup trucks.
Okay, I’m from Montana(originally) and I get trying to do stuff in the winter, but I have never understood ice fishing. Not only boring but freezing and, potentially, dangerous. Is anyone really that hungry for fish fingers and custard?
It is odd feeling to read about the Midwestern storms. I am in the northern tier and over the past two weeks the temps have been mild without significant precipitation.
Currently about 90% of the lawn is exposed grass. Typically that might occur four or five weeks from now.
Ice out has been coming later and later, it seems. When I was a kid, there’d be people ice fishing through March. This year, DNR wanted all ice huts off the lakes in most of the state by the end of February; the northernmost part of the state has until March 18. (This isn’t just about safety; it’s also about the huts getting stuck in softening ice, making their removal impossible until the thaw, when they’d have to be fished up from the bottom.) Around here, in the Twin Cities, there’s still some ice on some lakes (especially ones that don’t get a lot of street runoff), but it’s very slushy and doesn’t cover the whole lake.
I live near Minneapolis. When I first moved out here in the late 1960s, Winter began in late September. By mid-December, the temps at night were below zero. By about Christmas, the Daytime temps were below zero, and then we had 3 weeks or more of constant temps below zero. That didn’t let up until the late-January Chinook. Winter weather dragged on until sometime in late May or early June, when we finally saw the last of the snow. Contrast that to 50 years later, last year and this year, when we had a few nights of below-zero temps, and just two consecutive days of below-zero temps.
Also, I was raised in the Shenandoah Valley, Northern Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of WV. In the 1940s and 50s, typically, we wore sweaters up to Christmas. It snowed heavily 2 – 3 days before the holiday, usually the first snowfall. January was cold, but temps below zero were rare. By late February, snow was gone and forsythia, willows, and pussy-willows were starting to bud out. Late March, everything was in full growth and much was blooming. My wife and I just did a week-long vacation there. It was colder there than Minneapolis, all week. There is doubt that the cherry blossoms will be out for the traditional Spring festival.
I expect the climate change to continue to progress until Minneapolis is the new Summer vacation ‘go to’ spot, and the South is so rancidly hot that no one in their right mind would live there – even in Winter. Add that to the sea levels rising, and Florida may disappear almost entirely while Texas is reduced to half its former size.
The world climate patterns definitely are changing. Anyone who denies this is a nut case. Meanwhile the Human factor remains hotly debated. In the past 175 years, Man has dumped gigatons of chemicals into our air and water. Of course it has an effect, and we can’t just go on with ‘business as usual’. Two more Human issues – 1) overpopulation: we can’t continue the growth; 2) trash: Wall-E is in despair.
willispate almost 4 years ago
your pal’s probably sinking to the bottom of the water by now.
Concretionist almost 4 years ago
My parents would jump all over us for saying “I don’t think (something):” “You don’t think eh? How’s that working out for you…”
Though, if you’re denying global warming, “don’t think” seems to be appropriate.
RAGs almost 4 years ago
A few years ago I was looking at a USGS map of the Arctic Circle from the 1940s. Some areas which were listed as “permanent pack ice” are now ice free for months on end.
aKG1 almost 4 years ago
The groundhog saw his shadow so there will be six more weeks of winter which would end today, March 15th. Well played Wiley.
Kind&Kinder almost 4 years ago
They always told him he was on thin ice!
Masterskrain almost 4 years ago
Why in the world would someone go “ice fishing” when you can buy all you want at the grocery store…or even make it yourself in your freezer?? /snark
silverclaw33 almost 4 years ago
Ice fishing. For guys who really, really don’t like their wives.
mikeyman almost 4 years ago
By the time I get the hole big enough for the boat, I’m too tired to fish.
NeedaChuckle Premium Member almost 4 years ago
I’ve read about 2 mass rescues of ice fishermen who fell thru the ice. Must be great fish, if you’re will to DIE for them!
Lawrence.S almost 4 years ago
There are places where an annual winter event is to drive an old pickup truck out onto the middle of a frozen lake and then place bets about when the ice will meld enough for the truck to fall through in the Spring. Not sure if the fishing is any good… Lake bottom is filling up with old pickup trucks.
vaughnrl2003 Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Okay, I’m from Montana(originally) and I get trying to do stuff in the winter, but I have never understood ice fishing. Not only boring but freezing and, potentially, dangerous. Is anyone really that hungry for fish fingers and custard?
Huckleberry Hiroshima almost 4 years ago
glug
admiree2 almost 4 years ago
It is odd feeling to read about the Midwestern storms. I am in the northern tier and over the past two weeks the temps have been mild without significant precipitation.
Currently about 90% of the lawn is exposed grass. Typically that might occur four or five weeks from now.
mistercatworks almost 4 years ago
Looks more like he took an early fall. :)
timinwsac Premium Member almost 4 years ago
The moral of this story…..don’t eat bean burritos the night before going ice fishing.
calliarcale almost 4 years ago
Ice out has been coming later and later, it seems. When I was a kid, there’d be people ice fishing through March. This year, DNR wanted all ice huts off the lakes in most of the state by the end of February; the northernmost part of the state has until March 18. (This isn’t just about safety; it’s also about the huts getting stuck in softening ice, making their removal impossible until the thaw, when they’d have to be fished up from the bottom.) Around here, in the Twin Cities, there’s still some ice on some lakes (especially ones that don’t get a lot of street runoff), but it’s very slushy and doesn’t cover the whole lake.
marilynnbyerly almost 4 years ago
It’s those dang extra COVID pounds.
Cactus-Pete almost 4 years ago
Nothing was predicted on groundhog day. Nothing ever has been.
cuzinron47 almost 4 years ago
It’s about time somebody broke the ice.
Mediatech almost 4 years ago
Spring always begins at the Vernal Equinox, regardless of what the groundhog says.
Ed Brault Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Be sure all you Ice Shackers in Paradise get your tickets for the annual Joe’s Pond Ice-Out pool! https://www.joespondvermont.com/ice-out-tickets.html
lindz.coop Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Glub…
SrTechWriter almost 4 years ago
I live near Minneapolis. When I first moved out here in the late 1960s, Winter began in late September. By mid-December, the temps at night were below zero. By about Christmas, the Daytime temps were below zero, and then we had 3 weeks or more of constant temps below zero. That didn’t let up until the late-January Chinook. Winter weather dragged on until sometime in late May or early June, when we finally saw the last of the snow. Contrast that to 50 years later, last year and this year, when we had a few nights of below-zero temps, and just two consecutive days of below-zero temps.
Also, I was raised in the Shenandoah Valley, Northern Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of WV. In the 1940s and 50s, typically, we wore sweaters up to Christmas. It snowed heavily 2 – 3 days before the holiday, usually the first snowfall. January was cold, but temps below zero were rare. By late February, snow was gone and forsythia, willows, and pussy-willows were starting to bud out. Late March, everything was in full growth and much was blooming. My wife and I just did a week-long vacation there. It was colder there than Minneapolis, all week. There is doubt that the cherry blossoms will be out for the traditional Spring festival.
I expect the climate change to continue to progress until Minneapolis is the new Summer vacation ‘go to’ spot, and the South is so rancidly hot that no one in their right mind would live there – even in Winter. Add that to the sea levels rising, and Florida may disappear almost entirely while Texas is reduced to half its former size.
The world climate patterns definitely are changing. Anyone who denies this is a nut case. Meanwhile the Human factor remains hotly debated. In the past 175 years, Man has dumped gigatons of chemicals into our air and water. Of course it has an effect, and we can’t just go on with ‘business as usual’. Two more Human issues – 1) overpopulation: we can’t continue the growth; 2) trash: Wall-E is in despair.