Anyone else seeing more ice this year?

[Shdwdrgn]

In previous years it has always been closer to the end of January before I start seeing much ice on the pond, but this year I'm breaking up ice daily, and seeing the water start to freeze up again even before the sun set -- despite the air temperatures being near 50 degrees. The only thing I can think of is that the ground temperature is much colder this year. So I was just wondering if anyone else had seen anything similar?

And speaking of ground temps... It occurs to me that it seems like this would have a great affect on air temperatures and overall weather, yet when I have searched, I have never found any data collected for ground temps for the purpose of weather forecasting. Is it just me, or are the weathermen missing a critical value in their calculations?

 

[Tula]

I'm in Ohio and we're having a colder winter than the past two. I've seen some ice on my pond, but my air-stones have kept a nice size hole open. Kim

 

[sissy]

So far no ice here and usually we do not get really cold until January and Feb..Been in the mid to high 50's here with a few days here and there in the 40's and only 2 days in the thirties .Night temps get colder

 

[Catfishnut]

More ice here than usual.

Went ice fishing the other day, caught a lot! But, I was rather dissappointed when I got home to cook them. They were all melted.

Gordy

Ha Ha... Gotcha again. I am two up on my new years resolution and the ball still has not dropped yet!

 

[Catfishnut]

 

[koiguy1969]

from thanksgiving til easter its pretty much ice here.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

from thanksgiving til easter its pretty much ice here.

I grew up in Iowa, so I was used to that. But out here in Colorado, the weather is quite a bit different. When it snows, it actually melts within a few days. Its just so wierd!

I knew we were supposed to be having a colder Winter than usual, but the air temperature has actually been quite nice, except for that week of below-zero temps. Its just really odd here to see ice forming on the surface of the water when the air temp is still in the upper 40's.

 

[j.w]

Don't usually get our really cold temps here in December but this year we sure did. My pond was frozen over except where the waterfall and little bubbling geyser made holes for several days. Maybe that is all we shall get this winter but time will tell. Jan and Feb are our colder months usually. Even then we don't get a lot of ice.

 

[mrsclem]

We shut our pumps down at the first sigh of ice. Pumps still running, water temp at 42. .So far a mild winter. Hoping it stays that way at least till I get all the holiday decorations down!

 

[fishin4cars]

can't say we have had more ice, but we have dipped down below freezing more morning already this year than the last three years combined. Thankfully haven't gone 24 hours yet with temps below freezing and the coldest we have seen so far was one night of 26 for about three hours.

 

[addy1]

More snow and ice than we have had in three years here. So yep it has been colder.

 

[MitchM]

We broke a 112 year record for snowfall in December, but we iced up here near the middle of October, which is about normal.

 

[rebelangel_3733]

Iced over pond here just the hole from the bubbler and de-icer. Pond has thawed and refrozed a few times now. Here's a pic of the last snow we had a week ago.

 

[sissy]

what was walking across in the snow on your pond rebel .

 

[dieselplower]

Yes I am noticing more ice and snow earlier this year. I started a thread a while back titled something like "farmers almanac predicts long hard winter" and apparently they have been correct so far.

Side note, I have heard numerous times that it is not real good for the fish to be "breaking up" the ice. It sends loud shockwaves through the water that can put a lot of stress on a "hybernating" fish.