Lake Winnipesaukee Ice-Out
Lake Winnipesaukee Ice-Out occurs when all the ice on Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in New Hampshire, has broken up after winter. Over the years this has been decided upon by a variety of means; as of 2010, Dave Emerson makes the call. Emerson flies two to three times a day over Lake Winnipesaukee to check on the ice. Ice-Out is declared when the MS Mount Washington can make it to every one of its ports: Center Harbor, Wolfeboro, Alton, Weirs Beach and Meredith.[1] It is also considered the unofficial start to the boating season[1] as well as the end of winter[2] in New Hampshire. The earliest recorded ice-out occurred in 2016 on March 18, beating out the previous records of March 23, 2012 and March 24, 2010. The latest ice out occurred in 1888 on May 12.[3]
Because the Ice-Out designation is based on the judgment of one person, it is unscientific. The call does not mean that the lake is entirely devoid of ice, nor does it mean that the MS Mount Washington actually does go to each of its ports. It simply means that it is believed that the ship could.[2]
History
Ice-Out records have been kept since 1887 as a way to keep track of when both commercial and passenger transportation lanes became usable in the lake. In 1974, Dr. William K. Widgert compiled data from known records to create a list of past dates.[3]
Originally the Ice-Out designation was decided by people on shore. Later, for roughly 50 years, the call was made by Bob Aldrich, then, starting in the early 1980s, it was called by Alan Emerson. Since his death in 2002 it has been exclusively called by his son Dave.[2]
Ice-Out has occurred earlier on average in the last two decades of the 20th century and the first of the 21st century than in preceding decades. Culminating with extremely early dates in recent years (2010 - March 24, 2012 - March 23, and 2016 - March 18), as well as maple syrup season moving earlier over the same time span have led some to the speculation that global warming is involved.[2]
Contests
There are two contests where the public can bet on when Ice-Out will occur on the lake. One is run by Public Service of New Hampshire and the other by Winnipesaukee.com.[4]
Ice-Out dates
| Year | Ice-Out Date |
|---|---|
| 1887 | 05-07May 7 |
| 1888 | 05-12May 12 |
| 1889 | 04-14April 14 |
| 1890 | 04-24April 24 |
| 1891 | 04-23April 23 |
| 1892 | 04-11April 11 |
| 1893 | 05-10May 10 |
| 1894 | 04-20April 20 |
| 1895 | 04-26April 26 |
| 1896 | 04-23April 23 |
| 1897 | 04-23April 23 |
| 1898 | 04-14April 14 |
| 1899 | 05-02May 2 |
| 1900 | 04-26April 26 |
| 1901 | 04-20April 20 |
| 1902 | 04-04April 4 |
| 1903 | 04-02April 2 |
| 1904 | 04-29April 29 |
| 1905 | 04-24April 24 |
| 1906 | 04-26April 26 |
| 1907 | 04-29April 29 |
| 1908 | 04-21April 21 |
| 1909 | 04-19April 19 |
| 1910 | 04-06April 6 |
| 1911 | 05-02May 2 |
| 1912 | 04-23April 23 |
| 1913 | 04-17April 17 |
| 1914 | 04-15April 15 |
| 1915 | 04-24April 24 |
| 1916 | 04-16April 16 |
| 1917 | 04-28April 28 |
| 1918 | 04-24April 24 |
| 1919 | 04-14April 14 |
| 1920 | 04-24April 24 |
| 1921 | 03-28March 28 |
| 1922 | 04-17April 17 |
| 1923 | 04-24April 24 |
| 1924 | 04-18April 18 |
| 1925 | 04-10April 10 |
| 1926 | 05-02May 2 |
| 1927 | 04-13April 13 |
| 1928 | 04-19April 19 |
| 1929 | 04-18April 18 |
| 1930 | 04-07April 7 |
| 1931 | 04-11April 11 |
| 1932 | 04-20April 20 |
| 1933 | 04-25April 25 |
| 1934 | 04-21April 21 |
| 1935 | 04-21April 21 |
| 1936 | 04-08April 8 |
| 1937 | 04-25April 25 |
| 1938 | 04-17April 17 |
| 1939 | 05-04May 4 |
| 1940 | 05-04May 4 |
| 1941 | 04-16April 16 |
| 1942 | 04-18April 18 |
| 1943 | 04-30April 30 |
| 1944 | 05-03May 3 |
| 1945 | 04-01April 1 |
| 1946 | 03-30March 30 |
| 1947 | 04-24April 24 |
| 1948 | 04-10April 10 |
| 1949 | 04-06April 8 |
| 1950 | 04-20April 20 |
| 1951 | 04-14April 14 |
| 1952 | 04-20April 20 |
| 1953 | 04-03April 3 |
| 1954 | 04-16April 16 |
| 1955 | 04-19April 19 |
| 1956 | 05-03May 3 |
| 1957 | 04-03April 3 |
| 1958 | 04-13April 13 |
| 1959 | 04-26April 26 |
| 1960 | 04-19April 19 |
| 1961 | 04-27April 27 |
| 1962 | 04-24April 24 |
| 1963 | 04-20April 20 |
| 1964 | 04-28April 28 |
| 1965 | 04-22April 22 |
| 1966 | 04-20April 20 |
| 1967 | 04-20April 20 |
| 1968 | 04-15April 15 |
| 1969 | 04-25April 25 |
| 1970 | 04-28April 28 |
| 1971 | 05-06May 6 |
| 1972 | 05-02May 2 |
| 1973 | 04-16April 16 |
| 1974 | 04-17April 17 |
| 1975 | 04-25April 25 |
| 1976 | 04-17April 17 |
| 1977 | 04-21April 21 |
| 1978 | 04-27April 27 |
| 1979 | 04-25April 25 |
| 1980 | 04-16April 17 |
| 1981 | 04-05April 5 |
| 1982 | 04-29April 29 |
| 1983 | 04-10April 10 |
| 1984 | 04-20April 20 |
| 1985 | 04-14April 14 |
| 1986 | 04-16April 16 |
| 1987 | 04-12April 12 |
| 1988 | 04-16April 16 |
| 1989 | 04-25April 25 |
| 1990 | 04-22April 22 |
| 1991 | 04-08April 8 |
| 1992 | 04-21April 21 |
| 1993 | 04-22April 22 |
| 1994 | 04-23April 23 |
| 1995 | 04-15April 15 |
| 1996 | 04-17April 17 |
| 1997 | 04-24April 24 |
| 1998 | 04-07April 7 |
| 1999 | 04-08April 8 |
| 2000 | 04-10April 10 |
| 2001 | 05-02May 2 |
| 2002 | 04-05April 5 |
| 2003 | 04-25April 25 |
| 2004 | 04-20April 20 |
| 2005 | 04-20April 20 |
| 2006 | 04-03April 3 |
| 2007 | 04-23April 23 |
| 2008 | 04-23April 23 |
| 2009 | 04-12April 12 |
| 2010 | 03-24March 24 |
| 2011 | 04-19April 19 |
| 2012 | 03-23March 23 |
| 2013 | 04-17April 17 |
| 2014 | 04-23April 23 |
| 2015 | 04-24April 24 |
| 2016 | 03-18March 18 |
References
- 1 2 Amsden, Roger. Lake Winnipesaukee ice-out is earliest on record. Union Leader. March 24, 2010. Accessed April 9, 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 Brooks, David. Is this hot trend? Lake ice-out gets earlier. Nashua Telegraph. March 31, 2010. Accessed April 9, 2010
- 1 2 3 Beach, Mildred. Ice Out and What It Means. The Weirs Times. April 8, 2010. Accessed April 9, 2010.
- ↑ Koziol, John. Ice Out contests are winners with public. Laconia Citizen. April 15, 2009. Accessed April 9, 2010.
External links
- Ice-Out page on Winnipesaukee.com
- Ice-Out contest at PSNH
- Emerson Aviation, the service that makes the Ice-Out call