Officials urge caution as lakes, ponds freeze early in Maine
Officials urge caution as lakes, ponds freeze early in Maine ===
Officials warn that early-season ice may not yet be thick or strong enough to support people or equipment.
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Author: NEWS CENTER Maine Staff
Published: 10:27 AM EST December 10, 2025
Updated: 10:27 AM EST December 10, 2025
PORTLAND, Maine — With temperatures running colder than normal for early December, lakes and ponds across Maine are beginning to freeze sooner than usual.
That means some people may be eager to get back to winter activities such as ice fishing, skating, or walking on frozen ponds. But officials warn that early-season ice may not yet be thick or strong enough to support people or equipment.
Keith “Tater” Forest, who works for the city of Portland and checks ice thickness for local ponds, said it’s important to measure ice before stepping onto it. He said people can use a drill or auger to test the thickness, beginning at the edge of the water.
“We’ll do 12 holes with an auger,” Forest said. “The thinnest hole that we do is what we gauge it. So when the thinnest hole is 4 inches, we’ll open up the pond. And then as time goes on, because it gets thicker and thicker, we can then open up more because we can get some light equipment on.”
Four inches of clear, solid ice is considered the minimum thickness to safely walk, skate, or ice fish. Thicker ice is required for snowmobiles or vehicles.
Credit: ncm
The city of Portland maintains an ice thickness map on its website and updates it regularly. As of now, Ludlow Pond is open for skating, but officials caution that conditions can change quickly depending on weather.
For more local stories continue with us on our NEWS CENTER Maine+ streaming app.
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Source: NCM Weather
Locations: Portland
Region: Southern