Warm winter weather leads province to issue ice warning
Due to continuing warm weather as well as recent incidents in southeast Saskatchewan, the province's Water Security Agency is reissuing an advisory to ensure the public checks ice thickness on water bodies before walking, snowmobiling or driving across them.
On Monday afternoon, temperatures across Saskatchewan ranged from a high of nearly 8 C at Maple Creek, in the southwest, to almost -9 at Uranium City, in the far north. Environment Canada is forecasting unseasonably warm temperatures all week.
“There have been several serious ice-related incidents over the holiday season. The continuing warm weather through many areas of Saskatchewan represents a risk that all Saskatchewan people (need) to heed. Ice thickness must be checked before attempting any wintertime activities,” a recent news release from the agency states.
As a guideline, it notes, ice must be at least 10 centimetres (four inches) thick to walk on, 20 centimetres (eight inches) to drive a snowmobile or ATV on, 30 centimetres (12 inches) to drive a car or light truck on, and more than 30 centimetres (12 inches) to support a heavy truck.
The agency adds that thickness is just one consideration when evaluating ice safety. “Clear, hard ice is the only ice recommended for travel,” it states.
Ice does not freeze at a uniform thickness, and ice strength can vary considerably.
The agency suggests that ice should be re-evaluated on every date visited, even if was safe on a previous date. The date that ice becomes safe at a site varies from year to year requiring the verification of the thickness each year.
It advises to avoid ice that looks slushy; has thawed, then froze again; is near moving water; is layered, caused by sudden temperature changes; or has structures on it, such as pressure ridges.