This feature examines the timing of spring river ice breakup in two communities that have kept detailed records for more than 100 years.
Besides climate change, natural year-to-year variations and other factors such as local development and land-use patterns can influence ice breakup dates. The two locations featured here are relatively remote and undeveloped, so the ice breakup dates are more likely to reflect natural changes in weather and climate conditions. However, corresponding measurements of water conditions and air temperature would be useful to help understand the connection between changes in river ice breakup and changes in climate.