Got this response from a local meteorologist. For those of us that like to walk on water it may provide hope.

Cecil,


From one ice fisherman to another, this pattern is horrible! An intense Pacific jet originating from the Asian continent has been barreling across the Pacific and slamming into the west coast of the US most of the winter. This has lead to an abnormally strong westerly flow across North America, which has prevented the cold air from moving south out of Canada. The cold air did come for awhile in the first half of December, but even during this period the strong Pacific flow did not stop, and the cold pattern across North America could only resist for so long.


It appears that this pattern will last at least the next week. It would be highly unusual for this warmth to last the rest of the winter however, so I think there is still hope. We are starting to see some encouraging signs in the long term model data, suggesting a little more cold air starting in the 7 to 10 day range. Initially it looks like the cold air will come in step down fashion, meaning we will see the cold air come in piece by piece, with each one a little colder than the last. We work with a college professor from Ball State on occasion, and he dabbles in long term forecasting. He thinks the cold air will be back by the end of the month, and he is going for a cold February. Another encouraging factor, in the past year we have seen a tendency for a particular pattern to last for 20 to 30 days. We have been in this warm pattern now for about 18 days. It is going to take some time, but myself and the other ice fisherman in the office think we will be back out on the ice by around Feb 1st.


Jon - IWX Webteam

That's good news for you ice fishermen. It's also good news for teachers like me who have 10 snow days left to burn.

Cecil -- we've got 6-8 inches of ice, and we can ice fish. Now, folks can't drive their vehicles out on the ice yet. However, walkers and atv owners are fishing. So, don't order up "too cold" of weather for us!!

Now Dave you love the cold weather and you know it! You have to up there! I fished Devil's Lake in North Dakota a few years back and there was four feet of ice during the second week of March! The guides had to add extentions to the power augers to get through!

I remember when the first "Grumpy Old Men" movie was in theatres. My in-laws down south actually thought it was supposed to just be a joke that people would drive vehicles onto the ice. They really didn't want to believe me when I explained the quality of life up here! Thought I was trying to pull their leg.

"GUSTAVSON!!!"

"GUSTAVSON!!!"

GOLDMAN!!!

Decided to take advantage of the 50 degree day yesterday to drill some test holes in the small pond. In a couple of spots off to the side of the main stream flow (that supplies the pond) the ice was 5 1/2" thick. In contrast, ice thickness over moving water only 3 1/2". As I was drilling the holes, the local volunteer fire department drove by, airing out one of the trucks on such a nice day. I took this as an omen and decided it was best to stay off the ice.

Cecil, can you get them to hold off on this weather until the ninth, when I'm done seining?

Bruce...
Don't fall for all that high-tech, mumbo-jumbo.

ROFL.

I figured out that icefishing here is mostly nonexistent. We get ice for a few days when it snows, maybe, but I haven't seen any over 2 1/2" maybe 3" in the thickest spots. But that was two years ago and was the worst winter we'd seen since we moved out here. That was the winter of the Evansville 04' Blizzard. I remember it well, 19 inches of snow by my measurement.

Back in Cali "going ice fishing" would mean you were gonna go fishing for some ice .

Sorry no pull here. I found out a long time ago the weather does what it damn well pleases.

Bruce, judging by the extended forcast for Tuesday next week it looks like the day of seining will have a high in the mid 40's on Wednesday.

Ice Fishin' Rocks
(to the tune of "Surfin' U.S.A.")

If we all had hard water
On our perch ponds, dude
Then we'd all go ice fishin'
The way that Cecil do.
We'd be in Thinsulate undies
And our electric socks
Out drillin' holes in the water
'Cause ice fishin' rocks!

If it got down to sub-zero
That'd be real nice.
We put our shanties on float tubes.
We can't wait for ice!
We'd stay out anglin' all Winter;
This year it's such a tease.
Yeah, we'd all be ice fishin'
If it would only freeze.

We'd ice fish in Indiana
And Minnesota, guys,
Grand Prairie, Alberta,
And Ulster Park, N.Y.
We'd go out on frozen water
And sit there in a box.
Yeah, we'd all go ice fishin'
'Cause ice fishin' rocks!

I tried it to Surfin USA, either I am arythmic, or it doesn't quite work. Good try anyway. ROFL.
Maybe I was doing my Jan $ Dean imitation, and that is a Beachboys song. Not sure.

I'm seein' a Karoake contest at the Georgia PB meeting...yes sir! Theo, how many more of these chart-busters can you crank out in the next couple days? I can hardly wait to read about the duet competition. Hmmm, let's see....who's gonna duet...and what tune?
(edit; ooops...sorry CB1...I just trampled your thread. I duly owe ya one...or likely more)

Arythmic? I thought you had angina.

Surfin' USA - Beach Boys
Surf City - Jan & Dean
Surf & Turf - Red Lobster

Theo, you're giving me arythmic angina. :p
Yea, now I remember. Jan & Dean, they couldn't carry a tune in a #2 wash tub.

Oops. Need to use speel chek.

Theo I think you have too much time on your hands! But darn that was funny! You da man Theo my hero!

Theo,

Time for me to enter the world of hi-tech, buy an I(ice)-POD and download that tune.

Like Cecil stated, you have too much free time so I've got a project for you. As soon as possible, grab yourself a can of Mountain Dew and 30 straws (to accomodate all your various personalities). Based upon an old Star Trek episode, where a demon computer takes over the Enterprise, I want you to sit and calculate the last digit of "pi". If I'm lucky, by the time you finish maybe there will be enough ice on the ponds to fish and skate.

Russ,

There is no last digit. It keeps repeating itself. I know I tried. I just finshed and the ice was gone!

Cecil,

Thats the point. The exercise was designed to keep Theo busy. It also worked well for Captain Kirk and crew. The computer melted down trying to figure out the problem thus giving up its control over the Enterprise..... but don't tell Theo.

WE ARE NOMAD!!!

I personally like the Borg concept in the later Star Treks.

Resistance is Futile!

The combination of rain and mild temps, over the past couple of days, has resulted in open water on the ponds. I walked the perimeter of the small pond yesterday and noticed a group of fatheads swimming along the shore. Seasonal temps are forecasted beginning tomorrow.

Back inside after feeding livestock ... can finally move my freezing fingers again to type ... Cecil, Winter's back!

But the wind needs to stop blowing, 'cause it's not cold enough for whitecaps to freeze.