Question about bodies of water freezing in cold areas.

[raccoon]

If you have a small lake, say, in a cold area, does the ice on the lake become progressively thicker as the winter progresses?

And then does it all go to pieces when it gets warm again?

I am scientifically challenged, and in my area, maybe once in a while, mud puddles freeze. :-)

[notadmblnd]

1. yes it does get thicker as the temperature drops

when it thaws is gradually decreases until it melts. Occasionally chunks will break off.

[Robb]

2. It depends.

:D

Tempted to just leave it at that, actually. But in short, yes, but no (usually) on the pieces, usually it just melts like an ice cube would.

[dipsydoodle]

3. Its a function of temperature

but yes basicly that's what happens. But it doesn't go to pieces as such - it gets thinner as it melts .

Aside from that cold water rises as temperature decreases which is why on even a non frozen lake its better to fish the bottom in the winter. :)

[Toots]

4. Is it a salt water lake?

:shrug:

[raccoon]

5. No, just a hypothethical lake. But that's a good question. nt

[MineralMan]

6. Well, I'm in Minnesota, and live near a small lake where I

sometimes fish for panfish. Here's what happens:

1. The lake freezes over slowly, starting from the shallow shoreline areas. Normal fishing ends and anglers begin their winter depression.
2. After several days of below-freezing temperatures, the entire lake will be covered by ice. A sorry day, indeed.
3. As winter deepens, the ice gets thicker and thicker. On this lake, at the peak of freezing, the ice will be about 18" thick. Some silly people go out in the sub-zero weather and drill holes in the ice and try to catch fish. As a non-native Minnesotan, I do not do this silly thing.
4. As days start to warm and stay above freezing, the ice begins to get thinner. Anglers retrieve their fishing tackle from the garage and start checking every piece, in anxious anticipation.
5. Eventually, the margins of the lake, near the shoreline, have open water. Anglers begin talking about when they think the ice will be gone.
6. This margin of open water expands slowly. For anglers, it happens frustratingly slowly.
7. Winds sometimes push the solid ice up against the shoreline, and the ice continues to get thinner, and turns spongy. There is hope in the hearts of north-country anglers.
8. Then, one day, and it happens in a single day on small lakes, the ice is just gone everywhere. That's "ice-out," and normal fishing can begin again. It's funny. One day, you drive by the lake that had ice on it, and it's just gone. I wait for that day all winter long.

[raccoon]

7. You're very observant, MM. Thanks for the breakdown. nt