Keweenaw Report Your Source for Local News and Sports
Wednesday’s warm weather has caused a dangerous deterioration of lake ice conditions in the Copper Country.
The Baraga County Sheriff’s office advised ice fishermen to be very cautious before heading out. Ice that had reached safe levels at the head of Keweenaw Bay had become soft and porous by mid-day.
The U.S. Coast Guard echoed the warning, after rescuing 11 people from an ice floe near Sturgeon Bay, and 14 more from an ice floe in Saginaw Bay earlier this week.
The unusual mid-winter heat wave saw temperatures climb as high as 60 degrees near Amasa. National Weather Service observers reported readings of 56 at Dollar Bay, 53 at Baraga, and 48 at the Houghton County Memorial Airport.
Highs are expected to return to the mid-30s today, and the low 20s tomorrow. However, lake ice that has been softened by warm temperatures does not re-freeze to its original strength. Ice anglers will need to remain cautious about conditions for the rest of the winter.
