Lake Winnipesaukee Ice-Out


Lake Winnipesaukee Ice-Out occurs when all the ice on Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in New Hampshire, has broken up after winter. Over the years this has been decided upon by a variety of means; as of 2018, Dave Emerson makes the call. Emerson flies two to three times a day over Lake Winnipesaukee to check on the ice. Ice-Out is declared when the MS Mount Washington can make it to every one of its ports: Center Harbor, Wolfeboro, Alton, Weirs Beach and Meredith. It is also considered the unofficial start to the boating season as well as the end of winter in New Hampshire. The earliest recorded ice-out occurred in 2016 on March 18, beating out the previous records of March 23, 2012 and March 24, 2010. The latest ice out occurred in 1888 on May 12.
Because the Ice-Out designation is based on the judgment of one person, it is unscientific. The call does not mean that the lake is entirely devoid of ice, nor does it mean that the MS Mount Washington actually does go to each of its ports. It simply means that it is believed that the ship could.

History

Ice-Out records have been kept since 1887 as a way to keep track of when both commercial and passenger transportation lanes became usable in the lake. In 1974, Dr. William K. Widgert compiled data from known records to create a list of past dates.
Originally the Ice-Out designation was decided by people on shore. Later, for roughly 50 years, the call was made by Bob Aldrich, then, starting in the early 1980s, it was called by Alan Emerson. Since his death in 2002 it has been exclusively called by his son Dave.
Ice-Out has occurred earlier on average in the last two decades of the 20th century and the first of the 21st century than in preceding decades.

Contests

There are two contests where the public can bet on when Ice-Out will occur on the lake. One is run by Public Service of New Hampshire and the other by Winnipesaukee.com.

Ice-Out dates

YearIce-Out date
1887May 7
1888May 12
1889April 14
1890April 24
1891April 23
1892April 11
1893May 10
1894April 20
1895April 26
1896April 23
1897April 23
1898April 14
1899May 2
1900April 26
1901April 20
1902April 4
1903April 2
1904April 29
1905April 24
1906April 26
1907April 29
1908April 21
1909April 19
1910April 6
1911May 2
1912April 23
1913April 17
1914April 15
1915April 24
1916April 16
1917April 28
1918April 24
1919April 14
1920April 24
1921March 28
1922April 17
1923April 24
1924April 18
1925April 10
1926May 2
1927April 13
1928April 19
1929April 18
1930April 7
1931April 11
1932April 20
1933April 25
1934April 21
1935April 21
1936April 8
1937April 25
1938April 17
1939May 4
1940May 4
1941April 16
1942April 18
1943April 30
1944May 3
1945April 1
1946March 30
1947April 24
1948April 10
1949April 8
1950April 20
1951April 14
1952April 20
1953April 3
1954April 16
1955April 19
1956May 3
1957April 3
1958April 13
1959April 26
1960April 19
1961April 27
1962April 24
1963April 20
1964April 28
1965April 22
1966April 20
1967April 20
1968April 15
1969April 25
1970April 28
1971May 6
1972May 2
1973April 16
1974April 17
1975April 25
1976April 17
1977April 21
1978April 27
1979April 25
1980April 17
1981April 5
1982April 29
1983April 10
1984April 20
1985April 14
1986April 16
1987April 12
1988April 16
1989April 25
1990April 22
1991April 8
1992April 21
1993April 22
1994April 23
1995April 15
1996April 17
1997April 24
1998April 7
1999April 8
2000April 10
2001May 2
2002April 5
2003April 25
2004April 20
2005April 20
2006April 3
2007April 23
2008April 23
2009April 12
2010March 24
2011April 19
2012March 23
2013April 17
2014April 23
2015April 24
2016March 18
2017April 17
2018April 26
2019April 24