Well Over 2 Feet of Snow on the 17th and a Drone Video – Ice Update

Yes, it snowed in Wolfeboro. Forecasters were thinking we might get 4 to 8 inches but there is well over two feet of new snow on the ground. It is light and fluffy so it will blow around if there is wind but it makes for easy plowing as compared to the last storm that was like concrete. The large amount of snow may have been a blessing for those who like skating and being on the lake. There was enough snow in most places where ice had formed to weigh it down or break it. The snow then turned to slush which has now frozen and is pretty smooth. Other areas of the lake had not frozen (about 3/4 of the surface) and those areas have black ice. Not thick enough now for travel but it may be. Another small snowstorm forecast for Sunday but a possible rainstorm may make it smooth again.

It had been cold and windy on the 15th and then got to single digits at night so on the 16th parts of the lake froze. Below is a picture looking west to Bass, Little Bass and Stamp Act. The frozen section went basically from Point of Pines out to Stamp Act with some unfrozen areas. Much of the large bay bounded by Brummitt Island, Turtle Island and Warren Sands was frozen, too. The west end of the lake had ice around the edges but quite a bit of open water.

Below is a telephoto of the same area with Little Bass on the left and a dock on Sister Island on the right. You could still boat between those islands on the 16th but you would have been in trouble if you fell in.

Along the shore, the ice had frozen in typical patterns as the temperature dropped. It froze in little slushy areas that were blown by the wind and formed little mounds along the shore. The frozen areas near shore were also formed from that slush so they are very rough.

The lake report from the next day, after the snow stopped, was a bit different. This is looking at the same section of shore as shown above. Some ice was thick enough so it is supporting the snow but most likely there is a slush layer under the snow.

Looking toward Bass, Little Bass and Stamp Act, there is the “snow” area, the “slush” area and the open water.

To the south of Mink Island and going toward the east is a large section of open water. With enough wind, this may allow a lot of the present ice to break up. You never know.

One day last week it was calm and the sun was shining through high clouds and it was possible to fly a drone. Below is a link to a video of the Heath and flying over to Crescent Lake. In the video, smoke is coming from a burning brush pile that was part of the clean-up from last week’s heavy, wet snowstorm. This storm is providing the exact opposite kind of snow. Fluffy and light. Enjoy the video…..