03-09-2023, 01:03 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-09-2023, 01:55 PM by SkunkedAgain.)
Let me set the stage for this question, location Cutler Reservoir, Temperature range -3 F to 25 F Ice sheet has been in tact since November... Went out Tuesday and noticed the ice is terribly deteriorated, like the surface has 2" of snow 1.5" of water, then a thin very grey ice layer, another water layer and then 2-3" of grey crappy ice, then open water below... Temperatures have been below freezing for months, this should be good ice building temperatures, yet the ice seems to be ready to disappear for the year... What is going on? Is this a result of solar radiation eating up the ice below, while the small snow layer is insulating the formation of new ice? It isn't adding up to me, why with this much cold, I mean we have few hours where the temp might get above 32, and many hours closer to single digits... in the fall this formula means good ice building weather, now it seems to be melting away... Has the solar angle changed enough that the radiation is driving the ice condition? I was just trying to figure this one out because it doesn't make sense to me from a heat freezing stand point... Later Jeff
Google provided this, what do you think? J
Many elements drive ice melt on the lake, the most obvious of which is sunlight. Sunlight is the primary driver behind internal melting – melting that occurs within the ice sheet, at the triple junctions, grain boundaries, crystal structure imperfections, and within individual ice crystals. Internal melting can dramatically weaken the ice sheet without significantly thinning it. Tiny pores will open up in the ice as the meltwater drains through it, making it more fragile. Direct sunlight can also melt ice along the shorelines facing the sun, so it becomes difficult to return to land. In shallow areas the sun shining through the ice can actually heat the water, which then melts the ice from beneath.
So me thinks the ice season is going to close before long, even though the temperatures would say otherwise.... What's your thoughts, anyone have enough experience to add more ice insight to this? Thanks Jeff
Okay for those interested in ice thawing and the dangers ahead, this is a great read... My only question is what is the difference between small grain and large grain ice? S1, S2 ? http://lakeice.squarespace.com/thawed-ice/
Google provided this, what do you think? J
Many elements drive ice melt on the lake, the most obvious of which is sunlight. Sunlight is the primary driver behind internal melting – melting that occurs within the ice sheet, at the triple junctions, grain boundaries, crystal structure imperfections, and within individual ice crystals. Internal melting can dramatically weaken the ice sheet without significantly thinning it. Tiny pores will open up in the ice as the meltwater drains through it, making it more fragile. Direct sunlight can also melt ice along the shorelines facing the sun, so it becomes difficult to return to land. In shallow areas the sun shining through the ice can actually heat the water, which then melts the ice from beneath.
So me thinks the ice season is going to close before long, even though the temperatures would say otherwise.... What's your thoughts, anyone have enough experience to add more ice insight to this? Thanks Jeff
Okay for those interested in ice thawing and the dangers ahead, this is a great read... My only question is what is the difference between small grain and large grain ice? S1, S2 ? http://lakeice.squarespace.com/thawed-ice/
When things get stressful think I'll go fish'en and worry about it tomorrow!