Every year we guess what date the ice will officially depart. Last year was a warm one and the lake in front of Foxwood was ice free on April 3 and much, much earlier that in any of the other years that we have seen. Since 2002 the lake ice has consistently gone on either April 19, 20 or 21.
The signs of its departure are the same; first you see the snow on the ice begin to melt and become chaulky white, then as the ice breaks down it gradually becomes darker and darker. It can stay like that for ages, but all it takes is one opening, one small break in the ice, combined with a bit of wind and then it's game over. As soon as the ice begins breaking down and the wind starts to blow it usually takes a day or two for it to disappear.
For anyone with a dock in the lake it can be a nerve racking time. The power of a large ice flow, pushed on shore by the wind, can tear a dock to shreds in a very short time. We always hope that when the ice is breaking up that the wind stays calm or at the very least blows from the east or the north.
If you have any idea on when the ice will go out this year let us know. We thought it would be fun to put all of the names of those who guess correctly into a hat for a draw prize of a Foxwood t-shirt. So, email us with your "Ice Out" date by April 17!
