National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

Ice has just started forming and/or thickening on area lakes, and every winter, there are stories of people falling through the ice, especially during the first few weeks of cold weather.  So be careful.  Watch out for children and pets if they are near ice.  Remember that even in the coldest weeks of winter, there is no such thing as 100% safe ice.  Ice will always have varying depths and quality, even over short distances, due to a wide variety of factors.  Here are two links for ice safety:

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources:

www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/index.html

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources:

dnr.wi.gov/fish/faq/icefis_safety.htm