Danger, Thin Ice, Experts Warn

A pond at Humboldt Park in Milwaukee can be seen here on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. Evan Casey/WPR

Experts say the recent fluctuation in temperature across Wisconsin has made for dangerous conditions for ice fishers and hobbyists who are trekking out on lakes and ponds.

Much of Wisconsin experienced cold temperatures over the past few weeks. But at least two people in southeast Wisconsin had to be rescued after they fell through the ice last weekend when temperatures began to rise.

“That up and down fluctuation in temperature can really make ice conditions pretty dangerous,” said Jacob Holsclaw, the off-highway vehicle administrator with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

“We really don’t want to consider any ice to be 100 percent safe,” he added. “A big reason for that is that every body of water is different.”

Multiple days of cold temperatures can lead to thicker ice. But looks can be deceiving, Holsclaw said.

“If there’s a pretty good current under that ice, or there’s maybe a spring under there that’s moving pretty quickly, it may not be as thick as you think,” Holsclaw said.

“You might have ice that can support you in one area and just a few feet away, that ice could be paper thin due to underwater currents or springs,” he added.

The Wisconsin DNR doesn’t keep statistics on how many people go through the ice across the state each year. But Holsclaw said vehicles, snowmobiles, ATV’s and ice fishing equipment are often lost after people don’t check ice conditions.

“That can get very expensive to get those machines out,” he said.

John Zaworski, a lieutenant with the Milwaukee Fire Department, said hypothermia can set in within seconds if someone falls into a lake or river in cold temperatures.

“That water is 32 degrees (Fahrenheit) or less, and water takes away your body temperature 25 times faster, so it doesn’t take long at all,” Zaworksi said.

“As soon as you hit that water, it takes a strong mental effort to keep your composure,” he added.

Before going out on a body of water in the winter, Holsclaw said people should check with a local fishing or sports club that tracks ice thickness. The Wisconsin DNR doesn’t track ice thickness. The DNR also doesn’t offer safe minimum ice thickness guidance for activities like driving on ice or ice skating.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources does share general guidelines on its website. It says people should stay off ice when it’s less than 4 inches thick. When it’s 4 inches thick or more, it says people can ice fish or walk on ice. Snowmobiling is recommended for 5-7 inches thick.

If there isn’t a local fishing or sports group that checks ice thickness, Holsclaw said there are a few ways for people to check the thickness of ice themselves. If you’re ice fishing, you can take an auger and drill a hole into the ice to check how thick it is.

“And you can do that in several areas to kind of verify if it’s thick enough for you to be on it,” he said,

Holsclaw said you can also take an ice chisel to tap the ice as you walk on it to check for thickness.

Zaworski also said it’s important to let someone know that you’re going out on the ice.

“We always tell people, ‘If you don’t know, don’t go,’ as far as ice thickness,” Zaworski said.

You can check other specific ice safety tips at the Wisconsin DNR website here.

2 men rescued in southeast Wisconsin

A man had to be rescued Saturday after he fell through the ice at Wind Lake in Racine County, according to a statement from the Racine County Sheriff’s Office. The statement said a 36-year-old man was rescued after he fell into the lake when he was walking on it.

“The victim was approximately 700-800 yards from shore, but he was able to keep his head above water by holding onto the edge of the ice,” the statement said.

It took law enforcement officers nearly an hour to get the man out of the water, according to the statement.

Another man fell into Pretty Lake in the Town of Ottawa Saturday.

“Nearby ice fisherman assisted the adult male out of the ice by throwing a rope to him and pulling him out,” a statement from the Western Lakes Fire District said. “They assisted the male to the nearby boat launch and placed him in one of their vehicles to warm up after removing some of his wet clothes. The patient was transported to a nearby hospital in stable condition.”

Variable temperatures mean dangerous ice conditions was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.