Lake water temperature?

[Merrymeeting]

Taken 2 years ago today.

Merry Christmas everyone!

[secondcurve]

Originally Posted by Merrymeeting

Taken 2 years ago today.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Wow. That says it all.

[Outdoorsman]

I can't confirm the accuracy of this site, but since all the others seem to no longer be providing the data, I have been watching this one. It may very well be 'average temps' for the time of year that they are reporting.

https://www.watertemperature.net/uni...ipesaukee.html

[Merrymeeting]

Before we all get carried away, last year it was 50 degrees on Christmas Day and the ground was bare until the first week of January. We all know what happened after that!

[Paugus bay girl]

Originally Posted by Merrymeeting

Before we all get carried away, last year it was 50 degrees on Christmas Day and the ground was bare until the first week of January. We all know what happened after that!

We still didn't get as much as the south last year!

[rsmlp]

Originally Posted by Merrymeeting

Before we all get carried away, last year it was 50 degrees on Christmas Day and the ground was bare until the first week of January. We all know what happened after that!

perusal of lake temps of december of 2014 from this very site shows a temps of 37 near 12/25/14. I seriously doubt the broads will freeze over in '16. we've been here since '98 and there was one other year when they didn't freeze over maybe 15 yrs ago. anybody remember which year it was?

[CAVU]

Probably winter of 98-99, another strong El Nino year.. El Nino has begun to weaken, I would expect winter will return in Feb, March, April...

[ishoot308]

Looking at the 10 day forecast again for Gilford just shows more warm weather on the way. It's supposed to be in the 60's on Christmas Eve and warm weather continuing after Christmas.

Being someone who really enjoys the winter sports...this sucks!!!

Dan

[Major problem]

I've been watching these forums for many years primarily for fishing derby forecasts.

My group has been fishing both the spring Winni Derby and the Meredith Rotary Ice Derby for decades. If we couldn't stay with lakeside friends (mostly winter) then we stayed at B. Mae's/Fireside in Guilford. We had to make reservations in November because the Derby often fell at the same time as winter school vacation and they could get booked up.

There's been years we fished brutal arctic conditions and others with little to no ice. In recent years we've watched the weather fearing there would never be an ice-in and then around the second week of January winter would show up leaving only two weeks for the ice to thicken.

We are usually hopeful and faithful. This year my friends have chosen to wait and see.

Here's what it looked like in 2010, 3 feet of solid ice, no slush and a warm (~55 f ) sunny day.

[Merrymeeting]

As always, Mother Nature seems to be averaging things out.

Driving around the region this morning, many of the smaller, shallower, water bodies were skimmed over with ice. My water temp probe was measuring 40 degrees this afternoon. Rocks along shoreline are somewhat encased in ice after the winds of the past few days.

While the next few days will not be anywhere near average, it won't take much of a cold snap to get things back to normal. The lakes don't usually show signs of consistent freezing until after Christmas each year anyway.

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

I have 38 degrees now for the lake temp. With overnight lows below freezing and a blast of arctic air set for the beginning of the week, we should see some solid ice forming soon.

[Blue Thunder]

Although I understand it completely, I am not worthy of articulating it like this. An excellent explanation of how ice forms......we are getting close to that magic 39 as we speak.

"For water to freeze and change into ice, it must be cooled to its freezing point, which implies heat loss. That heat loss occurs when the ambient temperature of the air is lower than the temperature of the water.
The freezing point of fresh water is 32°F; however, its maximum density is reached at 39°f. From an ecological perspective, the latter point is extremely important, since the deeper water which is located under the ice – except in some small lakes or ponds - does not freeze, which means that the creatures living there can survive winter under the ice. Let us take the example of a lake whose temperature decreases to 39°F in the late fall. Since density (the weight of the water per unit of volume) increases with the decrease in temperature, the entire lake – from the surface to its bottom – will reach 39°F after a certain length of time. When it cools, the thin layer close to the surface of the lake becomes denser, therefore heavier, and sinks toward the bottom of the lake, and is replaced on top by “warmer” water which rises to the surface.
If the temperature continues to drop and dips below 39°F, the layer close to the surface becomes less dense when approaching the freezing point; it then increases in volume instead of shrinking, and becomes “lighter” than the water below it at 39°F. Therefore, that cooler layer will float on the surface and will continue to cool until ice is formed. Ice (a solid) is lighter than water (a liquid) due to its larger volume, and that is why it floats. The water located under the ice below remains at 39°F, except for the layer just below the ice’s surface. That layer will approach the freezing point of 32°F. As it reaches that temperature, it turns into ice as well, making the layer of ice on the surface even thicker. The colder it gets, the thicker and the more solid the layer of ice becomes.
If water behaved like other physical bodies, it would increase in density as it cools. If that were true, rivers, streams and lakes would be frozen from the surface right down to the bottom. In the summer, only the top layer would melt, while the deeper water could remain frozen throughout the year. In such conditions, it is obvious that aquatic life in our rivers and lakes would be impossible."

BT

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

I was surprised to see the lake temp this morning still at 39. It should drop a bit tonight and tomorrow but the wind is not cooperating. The forecast from Wednesday through the weekend is a bit mild, overnight lows stay in upper 20s. Next week starts some steady cold weather.
Ice lovers have to wait at least another week before ice starts forming.

[Merrymeeting]

literally watching ice form as I sit here this AM. But given forecast and any wind, don't expect it to last.

[gokart-mozart]

Originally Posted by Merrymeeting

literally watching ice form as I sit here this AM. But given forecast and any wind, don't expect it to last.

Lake Wentworth froze shore-to-shore last night, unless it gets REALLY warm I expect it to stay.

Compare with November 29, 2014 for last year's ice-in.

[upthesaukee]

Yesterday in Alton Bay, there was some slush / ice from in front of the old Pavillion to the town beach out towards, but not to the floating band stand.

Today, there is a skim of ice out past Sandy Point, with some patchy skimming of ice to about half way to Echo Point. What a difference a day makes.

[Acrossamerica]

Originally Posted by gokart-mozart

Lake Wentworth froze shore-to-shore last night, unless it gets REALLY warm I expect it to stay.

Compare with November 29, 2014 for last year's ice-in.

Must have been more folks staying later in the year this year and flushing.

[Bob G]

There was a skim coat of ice at the south end, Rt11, of Paugus Bay. All within 200 yds of shore. Nothing out deep yet.

[barefootbay]

Originally Posted by gokart-mozart

Lake Wentworth froze shore-to-shore last night, unless it gets REALLY warm I expect it to stay.

Compare with November 29, 2014 for last year's ice-in.

Don't know where you were looking but this am at Wentworth state park it was only about a third skimmed over .

[ITD]

Blackey's cove iced over.

[Merrymeeting]

The large portions of Merrymeeting that I can see mostly skimmed over last night, though there are still open areas. If the wind picks up today, I expect it will break up. But today and tomorrow are forecast to be very calm.

It will be interesting to see how much of the predicted warm-up we get later in the week, and whether it has an impact on the developing ice. While the forecast has days above freezing, the nights (and majority of each 24 hour period) will be below freezing.

Despite what many seem to perceive, things are really not much off the normal "ice-in" schedule. It is rare for Merrymeeting to show much ice before the New Year. But is is usually solidly frozen by mid-January. The key is for the surface to skim over completely so the wind doesn't break it up. Once formed, if the temps are below freezing, the ice thickens quickly.

All that said, please be careful! The next few weeks are, unfortunately, guaranteed to include stories of bright bulbs who venture out on the ice too soon and end up in the drink. Stay safe everyone!

[Merrymeeting]

Originally Posted by Merrymeeting

literally watching ice form as I sit here this AM. But given forecast and any wind, don't expect it to last.

As expected, once the wind came up, the skim ice broke apart and is now gone.

[Mink Islander]

Lake temp was 38 degrees this morning per the Lakeport Dataphone. Tick tick!