We are off to a very slow start...minimal ice (3 to 4 inches on most lakes, and mostly just the bays, some lakes still open).....we have a dusting to an inch of snow in the area, and that isn't going to stay with the warmer air and possible rain mixing with snow Saturday morning....also unusual was that my mother's place by Lac du Flambeau, had even less snow than we had in the Nokomis area.....There is NO rideable snow in the entire area at this point (we need the ice first anyways)...However, this slow start has me worried...there isn't much for snow, or cold air in the extended long range forecast. The only place that may be rideable is Northern Iron County, and parts of the YOOP...but in talking with guys up there...it's thin at best. So we wait...it's all we can do...we do have a new trail to talk about which I will share with you as we get closer to opening...We also prevented a couple of potential trail closures in the off season with some hard work by our club members, and some critical negotiations with some key land owners.....I know it gets harped on alot...but PLEASE stay on the marked trails, and leave your loud cans at home....those two issues cause the clubs up here the most problems with land owners. I will update this when we have a change in conditions...but right now we need snow and cold, or we won't be riding by Christmas...so do those snow dances!!!!
FIRST post this season. 12-7-23
- Thread starter attakman
- Start date
mezz
Well-known member
You are not alone. I am amazed that we still have some white on the ground here considering the weather that we have been having. The only saving factor at this point is the ground is on the colder side of things as well as the length & the sun angle is favorable. We get some ice to start, then it fades away. I don't see anything meaningful snow wise for the foreseeable future.
Today, sunny clear skies with a high expected to reach 41, tomorrow, suppose to reach the mid to upper 40's then slide into the mid-thirties Sat & Sun with a chance of light snow, possibly an inch.
Long range forecast looks to reach the upper thirties to near 40 next week, we'll have to see. As John use to say, you really can't rely much beyond a 3-4 day outlook & often times those change as well. I have been toying around with the College Of DuPage model runs since the day John introduced it on Snow Church & lately both the US & Euro Models show everything being steered around us in the mid-west to the south & to the east. True form of the anticipated El Nino pattern so far from what I can see. Lets hope that this changes sooner than later.
Today, sunny clear skies with a high expected to reach 41, tomorrow, suppose to reach the mid to upper 40's then slide into the mid-thirties Sat & Sun with a chance of light snow, possibly an inch.
Long range forecast looks to reach the upper thirties to near 40 next week, we'll have to see. As John use to say, you really can't rely much beyond a 3-4 day outlook & often times those change as well. I have been toying around with the College Of DuPage model runs since the day John introduced it on Snow Church & lately both the US & Euro Models show everything being steered around us in the mid-west to the south & to the east. True form of the anticipated El Nino pattern so far from what I can see. Lets hope that this changes sooner than later.
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AND 7 days later...nothings changed....got a little snow, started building ice..but today it's 50 degrees at 3PM, ice melting, and what little snow we have is also melting...maybe a minor shot of snow Saturday (after it rains)?? But nothing significant in the extended forecast, above average temps, below average snowfall (through xmas)...HIGHLY DOUBT northern Wisconsin Trails will be open between Xmas, and New Years....the ice on area lakes is nowhere near safe for snowmobiling....we need cold air for a couple of weeks, followed by a BIG snow storm, to pull it off...not looking good.
Update 12-22-23....Just an FYI....Ice Conditions are deteriorating in northern Wisconsin ...we had an ice shack go through Lake Alice two days ago, and just today, a 65 year old man went through the ice on the Spirit Flowage, while riding his four wheeler, he is fine (no word on recovery of the 4 wheeler)...6 inches of ice in the bays two days ago is now 3-4 inches, and getting soft, it's very slushy, and wet out there....and the warmer temps, and heavier rainfall is not even here yet (Saturday night through Tuesday)....also....some knucklehead was showing a HUGE snowstorm for the 27th and 28th of December...many, many people have reposted this on Facebook (I've seen it on just about every snowmobile trail condition page, for northern Wisconsin, and the U.P.)..so much FALSE information being posted......I'd love the 12 -15 inches of snow they are calling for, but I also know we don't have safe ice, and heavy snow like that would actually be a bad thing right now.....I don't mean to be the turd in the punch bowl, the negative Nancy etc...but NOT ONE credible weather source is showing/saying this....in fact they are showing temps in the mid to upper 30s across the upper Midwest, and ZERO snow is being forecasted for the next 7 to 10 days. (all the way through the new year).....Don't use AccuWeather, or Weather.com for ANY snow related info...they are ALWAYS wrong. (this is when we miss John) I wish I had better news, but I don't...we are simply in a holding pattern, and it's just one of those years....Hopefully things change soon....Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year....I'll check in if or when conditions change.
hybrid
Active member
thanks for the update
here on Pike lake we had a good 6-7 inches on the bay on 12/20
i would not walk out to check the ice today to sketchy looking with the warm weather past 2 days and low of 32 last night
the main lake did not freeze over till several days after the bay and may have been 5 days later ?
so the main lake has much less ice then the bays do
i was in minocqua on monday and there still was no ice under the bridge on lake minocqua
very dangerous conditions now
be safe and stay off the ice till conditions improve
Merry Christmas
here on Pike lake we had a good 6-7 inches on the bay on 12/20
i would not walk out to check the ice today to sketchy looking with the warm weather past 2 days and low of 32 last night
the main lake did not freeze over till several days after the bay and may have been 5 days later ?
so the main lake has much less ice then the bays do
i was in minocqua on monday and there still was no ice under the bridge on lake minocqua
very dangerous conditions now
be safe and stay off the ice till conditions improve
Merry Christmas