Boston, MA
Thin ice danger for walking, skating on frozen ponds, lakes amid Boston's warmup
The warmer temperatures are creating safety concerns at lakes and ponds around Boston — the ice is becoming softer and less safe, according to authorities.
At the Cove in Auburndale, outdoor skating has been suspended for the rest of the season “due to the condition of the ice and warming temperatures,” a message on Newton’s skating hotline says.
It’s been at great winter for skating outdoors at places like Turner Pond in Walpole. They still have 14 inches of ice on the pond, but it’s warming up quickly and ice everywhere is melting just as fast.
“It’s melting at all the edges. I wouldn’t go out there. You can see the puddles everywhere and even on the lakes you see so much ice loss just the last few days,” one woman said.
The mild temperatures are thawing out the layer of snow and ice covering much of New England.
Follow NBC10 Boston:
https://instagram.com/nbc10boston
https://tiktok.com/@nbc10boston
https://bsky.app/profile/nbcboston.com
People were still skating and walking on the Charles River last weekend, despite advisories to the contrary.
Acting Cambridge Fire Chief Thomas Cahill told us this winter what’s considered the safe zone for ice outdoors: “If you have choices, the smaller ponds that, you know, have that 4 to 5 inch thickness, then I think you’re fine on those. If you’re talking about walking across the river, you need to be very careful.”
Experts say slush on top of the ice indicates it’s no longer freezing from the bottom and can hide cracks.
Don’t take any unnecessary chances, they say.