Warm temperatures

[spinN'flyfish]

Hello folks, the temperatures are going up, how should it affect the safety on ice? It'd be great to know so I can say to my friends that if it should be safe or not to head out. Thanks, enjoy the ''great'' weather folks :)

[EZM]

A few days of plus weather will have a little effect on the ice thickness but likely not enough to bring the 20" of ice down more than an inch or two typically. The water under the ice will remain 4 celsius and slows down the melt.

Likely its the amount of floodwater that will form on the top creating additional weight, bowing the ice, and cracks, ridges and chutes form that you need to keep aware of.

Listen to the ice and be careful.

Never drive over or near a wet crack, ridge or heave. With flood water on top of the ice it is going to be tough to see wet cracks ...... use caution is my advice.

[spoons]

Good thing to do is if you see flood water do not drive on the lake. Not worth the risk for a couple of fish. You never know what is under the water

[Wild&Free]

It should be okay, just bring rubber boots for the flood water. watch for all the things EZM mentioned, and listen closely, water adds a lot of weight which changes ice in a hurry. when in doubt, drill a test hole and watch for level fluctuations, if water comes pouring out the ice is sagging significantly and more unsafe conditions will arise because of this.

[chriscosta]

Looks like we barely have any cold weather left according to my weather on my phone only a handful of days will be in the minus and not very cold if theres flood water on top of the ice the sun will warm it up thus melting the ice from the top down just after a good couple weeks id start to be a bit cautious

[foothillzman]

thx for the great posts guys, so it sounds like if we don't see much water on top of the ice that it is pretty safe

[spinN'flyfish]

better be fishing this couple weeks and hope for -40, by the way folks, I'd never drive on the lake for ice fishing, cause by now I'm pretty paranoid, so its not really my thing to drive on the ice. Assume I should be safe, with caution in mind? Would cracks be a major threat for the ice fisherman who walks
Also thanks to all, greatly appreciate it :)