Lake Winnipesaukee Ice-Out occurs when all the ice on Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in New Hampshire, United States, 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.[1] 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.[2] It is also considered the unofficial start to the boating season as well as the end of winter[3] in New Hampshire. The earliest recorded ice-out occurred in 2024 on March 17, beating the previous record of March 18, 2016 and March 23, 2012. The latest ice out occurred in 1888 on May 12.[4]
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.
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, except in 2003 when it as declared by flight instructor Steve Sydorwicz. [5]
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.
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.[6]
| Year | Ice-Out date | |
|---|---|---|
| 1887 | May 7 | |
| 1888 | May 12 | |
| 1889 | April 14 | |
| 1890 | April 24 | |
| 1891 | April 23 | |
| 1892 | April 11 | |
| 1893 | May 10 | |
| 1894 | April 20 | |
| 1895 | April 26 | |
| 1896 | April 23 | |
| 1897 | April 23 | |
| 1898 | April 14 | |
| 1899 | May 2 | |
| 1900 | April 26 | |
| 1901 | April 20 | |
| 1902 | April 4 | |
| 1903 | April 2 | |
| 1904 | April 29 | |
| 1905 | April 24 | |
| 1906 | April 26 | |
| 1907 | April 29 | |
| 1908 | April 21 | |
| 1909 | April 19 | |
| 1910 | April 6 | |
| 1911 | May 2 | |
| 1912 | April 23 | |
| 1913 | April 17 | |
| 1914 | April 15 | |
| 1915 | April 24 | |
| 1916 | April 16 | |
| 1917 | April 28 | |
| 1918 | April 24 | |
| 1919 | April 14 | |
| 1920 | April 24 | |
| 1921 | March 28 | |
| 1922 | April 17 | |
| 1923 | April 24 | |
| 1924 | April 18 | |
| 1925 | April 10 | |
| 1926 | May 2 | |
| 1927 | April 13 | |
| 1928 | April 19 | |
| 1929 | April 18 | |
| 1930 | April 7 | |
| 1931 | April 11 | |
| 1932 | April 20 | |
| 1933 | April 25 | |
| 1934 | April 21 | |
| 1935 | April 21 | |
| 1936 | April 8 | |
| 1937 | April 25 | |
| 1938 | April 17 | |
| 1939 | May 4 | |
| 1940 | May 4 | |
| 1941 | April 16 | |
| 1942 | April 18 | |
| 1943 | April 30 | |
| 1944 | May 3 | |
| 1945 | April 1 | |
| 1946 | March 30 | |
| 1947 | April 24 | |
| 1948 | April 10 | |
| 1949 | April 8 | |
| 1950 | April 20 | |
| 1951 | April 14 | |
| 1952 | April 20 | |
| 1953 | April 3 | |
| 1954 | April 16 | |
| 1955 | April 19 | |
| 1956 | May 3 | |
| 1957 | April 3 | |
| 1958 | April 13 | |
| 1959 | April 26 | |
| 1960 | April 19 | |
| 1961 | April 27 | |
| 1962 | April 24 | |
| 1963 | April 20 | |
| 1964 | April 28 | |
| 1965 | April 22 | |
| 1966 | April 20 | |
| 1967 | April 20 | |
| 1968 | April 15 | |
| 1969 | April 25 | |
| 1970 | April 28 | |
| 1971 | May 6 | |
| 1972 | May 2 | |
| 1973 | April 16 | |
| 1974 | April 17 | |
| 1975 | April 25 | |
| 1976 | April 17 | |
| 1977 | April 21 | |
| 1978 | April 27 | |
| 1979 | April 25 | |
| 1980 | April 17 | |
| 1981 | April 5 | |
| 1982 | April 29 | |
| 1983 | April 10 | |
| 1984 | April 20 | |
| 1985 | April 14 | |
| 1986 | April 16 | |
| 1987 | April 12 | |
| 1988 | April 16 | |
| 1989 | April 25 | |
| 1990 | April 22 | |
| 1991 | April 8 | |
| 1992 | April 21 | |
| 1993 | April 22 | |
| 1994 | April 23 | |
| 1995 | April 15 | |
| 1996 | April 17 | |
| 1997 | April 24 | |
| 1998 | April 7 | |
| 1999 | April 8 | |
| 2000 | April 10 | |
| 2001 | May 2 | |
| 2002 | April 5 | |
| 2003 | April 25 | |
| 2004 | April 20 | |
| 2005 | April 20 | |
| 2006 | April 3 | |
| 2007 | April 23 | |
| 2008 | April 23 | |
| 2009 | April 12 | |
| 2010 | March 24 | |
| 2011 | April 19 | |
| 2012 | March 23 | |
| 2013 | April 17 | |
| 2014 | April 23 | |
| 2015 | April 24 | |
| 2016 | March 18 | |
| 2017 | April 17 | |
| 2018 | April 26 | |
| 2019 | April 24 [7] | |
| 2020 | April 6 | |
| 2021 | April 5 | |
| 2022 | April 8 [8] | |
| 2023 | April 7 [9] | |
| 2024 | March 17 [10] |