Warming Weather Makes Ice Unsafe

Whether it's the peace and quiet in the dead of winter, the excitement of hauling a big fish through an 8 inch hole or the taste of fresh fish after a day on the hard water, ice fishing a popular outdoor winter sport in Iowa. Although there is no official end date to ice fishing season, the recent temperature trend is making the ice unsafe. ABC 5 News has received several reports of people falling through the ice over the last week. Four people fell through the ice near New Albin in northeast Iowa when their ATV pulling a trailer broke through. Fortunately, they were able to build a fire while awaiting rescue. Thin ice turned deadly for one teenager in southeast Iowa who drowned after trying to retrieve arrows off of a pond near Bloomfield. This time of year the ice is thinning, and due to the complex nature of heating fluids, the ice melts unevenly. Certain spots may still have ice thick enough to support a truck, while surrounding areas thin to just a few inches. Ice expansion and contraction also creates fissures or weak points making the ice even more unstable. The average temperature in central Iowa has gone from 28.4 F two weeks ago, to 34 F last week. So our environment which has acted like a freezer has now turned into a weak heater. This is all thanks to the seasonal change in the sun angle. Every day it gets stronger which helps to warm the frozen winter ground as we approach spring. This will lead to a rapid breakup of most of the ice covering Iowa's waterways within the next week. So it wont be long before we can get out the casting rod and reel. In the meantime, take care and stay off the ice.