This is Minnesota

December 6, 2012. 9:25 AM, 39 degrees and rain. Strong south wind. S'pose this will fare well for the ice? lol

Yesterday as we were out and about around town we saw plenty of open water that was iced over a couple days ago. Then last night I heard the weather forecast and they are saying some changing is on its way. As far as I am concerned, it can stay like this. We need rain. We don't NEED snow.

I can't get over the winter we had last year and I certainly could handle another just like it this year. Too early to tell though. I do know that this stuff we are seeing this morning sure as heck isn't going to do any ice any favors. Be careful out there.

Is it strange that the river at the Champlin crossing is frozen over with a few open bays of water?

I'm sure the ice is very thin but everyone I talked to when I came up said the Mississippi won't freeze over. When I mentioned it to a coworker today he looked at me like I was crazy. I'm not hallucinating, I know what I see every day lol.

The river in my backyard though (Elk River) is still flowing ice free. I would hate to take a dip in it right now though.

I take it that you have no plans to join a polar bear club then?

There is no chance!

I don't see how guys who do that don't have an instant heart attack.

"Be careful out there."
I second that. This kind of weather produces real slick street ice real quick when the temp falls.

We have about lost the ice we had. Been close to, and above 40 for 3 days. Talking rain and warmer again tomorrow. Don't see any ice in sight in my area..

We've had temps in the upeer 30's and low to mid 40's since yesterday and today was rain for the most part. The ground needs the water so I don't have a problem with it. You are right though....it will raise heck with thin ice.

For sure we need all the moisture we can get. Water levels are so low right now...May have to get the boat back out...

Yesterday we had a lite rain and ice pellets in the morning, turning to a lite snow in the afternoon. The temps were in the high twenty's to low thirty's. The lakes will be a real joy to walk on with a layer of water on the ice. :-(
It got down into the teens last night and hopefully froze the surface water.

My wife & I flew home to Virginia to spend Christmas with our families.

Right before we left on 12/24 I saw one fishing shack out on a lake in Princeton, MN (took our dogs to be lodged out there).

When we went to pick up our dogs today there are now 4-5 ice houses out there.

Yep, ice fishing season is here.

I was gone from the area during the holidays and surprised at the numbers of houses on the lakes when I got home. With the sub-zero temps the lakes made over 12 inches of ice. I now see cars and trucks driving on the ice. The hard water season now is in full swing.