pdubya wrote:
This note is about ice in the North Channel which is to the north of Amherst Island. (I believe it pretty well never forms ice south of Amherst Island). Speaking of the North Channel about 1 km west of Collins Bay, complete ice cover has come and gone once already this winter. There was about 2 inches (I'm guessing) of beautiful clear black ice about a week ago then a big wind caused a good size swell and broke it up into a giant slushy then blew the whole area into open water. The snowfall on Jan 19th fell into open water then the Jan 20th freeze formed complete ice cover again. Right now, morning Jan 23rd, there is ice coverage (I'm guessing 3 inches, too thin for me to try walking on it) but there is currently a big south wind with lots of cracks and pressure ridges. Perhaps the ice cover will survive the wind today and the associated swell and the 5 or 10 mm of rain tonight. Perhaps not.
Thanks for the report!