Freeze Up
2026 Freeze-Up and Snowfall Report (by the Friends of Temagami)
By all accounts, winter arrived early in Temagami this year. There was an earlier freeze-up compared to most years in recent memory. Snowfall started in November, and cold weather made sure it stuck around. Smaller inland lakes throughout the region began to freeze in late November, and by mid-December, only the largest and deepest lakes remained ice-free.
Obabika Lake iced over early in mid-December, but an insulating layer of snow on top of the weak ice slowed ice formation considerably. Lake Temagami – typically one of the last to freeze – started to form ice in its shallows and sheltered bays in mid-December, but large sections remained open late into the month. FoT’s official ice observer at Camp Wanapitei reported that Ferguson Bay was still partially open as of December 21st, but cold overnight temperatures right up to the New Year kept ice formation progressing.
By December 31st, Alex Mathias from Obabika Lake was reporting 6” (15 cm) of solid, clear ice, with another 2” (5 cm) of frozen slush ice on top. By January 6th, we were already hearing reports of locals travelling on Lake Temagami. A thaw in early January saw temperatures soar to +6 C; however, despite losing some snow cover on the ground, this may have actually helped ice formation by removing the snow from on top of the ice and allowing the winter’s deep cold to penetrate the lake ice – thereby helping it continue to form as the cold air temperatures plummeted once again.
On an early January visit the ice on Lake Temagami could be heard booming – a sure sign that winter 2026 is off to a great start! Get out there and enjoy it – spring will be here before you know it!
Obabika Lake: January 1, 2026 (photo by Mike McIntosh)
Sandy Inlet, Lake Temagami: December 6, 2025 (photo by Mike McIntosh)
Record of Freeze-Up Dates Since 2002
(Source: www.ottertooth.com/temagami.htm)
| Year: | Date: | Observation Point: | Observer: |
| 2002 | December 17 | Garden Island | Glen Toogood |
| 2003/2004 | December 15 January 10 | Garden Island Cattle Island | Glen Toogood Bob Farr |
| 2004 | December 24 | Garden Island | Glen Toogood |
| 2005 | December 13 | Garden Island | Glen Toogood |
| 2006/2007 | December 29 January 16 | Garden Island | Glen Toogood |
| 2007 | December 15 | Garden Island | Glen Toogood |
| 2008 | December 18 | Satellite | n/a |
| 2009/2010 | January 13 | Estimate | n/a |
| 2010 | December 18 | Estimate | Bob Farr |
| 2011 | December 29 | Bear Island | Bob Farr |
| 2012 | December 27 | Satellite | n/a |
| 2013 | December 14 | Satellite | n/a |
| 2014 | December 29 | Chimo Island | Steve Battis |
| 2015/2016 | January 13 | Chimo Island | Terry Delachevrotiere |
| 2016/2017 | January 1 | Narrows Island and air | Steve Battis, Ron Miller |
| 2017 | December 17 | Satellite | n/a |
| 2018 | December 23 | Bear Island | Bob Farr |
| 2019 | December 19 | Bear Island and Southwest Arm | Bob Farr, Steve Battis |
| 2020 | December 19 | Bear Island, North Arm, and Temagami Island | Bob Farr, Penny St. Germain, Dave Wilfong |
| 2021/2022 | January 1, 2022 | Bear Island, Cattle Island, and Temagami Island | Bob Farr, Penny St. Germain, Paul and Andra TenWesteneind, Sacha Stevens |
| 2022/2023 | January 10, 2023 | Wabikon | Penny St. Germain |
TLA-Recorded Dates:
| 2023/2024 | January 7, 2024 | Wabikon | Don Johnson |
| 2024/2025 | January 10, 2025 | multiple Lake areas | Allan Eustis, Bob Farr, Jackie Hodgins, Don Johnson, Ron Miller, Aaron Nelles, Bruce Rice, Penny St. Germain, Sacha Stevens, Paul Tamburro |
| 2025/2026 | January 10, 2026 | multiple Lake areas | Mike McIntosh |
Freeze-Up Watch 2024/2025:
January 10, 2025:
For the 3rd consecutive year, freeze-up has been an unusually protracted process; but our observers are calling it official today with no visible open water on Lake Temagami. Last year, freeze up occurred on January 7th.
Hopefully island/cabin fever has broken … but please remember frozen doesn’t equal safe ice!
Be safe, and happy snowmobile season everyone!
Sunrise Over Bear Island on Friday January 10, 2025 (photo courtesy of Sacha Stevens)
December 2024:
Once again, we have ice watchers stationed in various locations on Lake Temagami. We also use Ron Miller’s aerial observations, Aaron Nelles’ drone photography, and NASA satellite imagery to determine the date on which Lake Temagami is completely frozen over.
Here are our experts’ predictions for this season’s “freeze-up”.
Bob Farr (Bear Island): December 23
Jackie Hodgins (Wanapitei): December 28
Don Johnson (SW Arm): December 29
Aaron Nelles (Bear Island): December 26
Sacha Stevens (Western Hub): January 1
Penny St. Germain (Wabikon): January 3
Freeze-Up Watch 2023/2024:
It’s official. Our ice watchers report no open water on Lake Temagami (aided by satellite and Aaron Nelles’ drone imagery)! Everyone emphasizes that while the Lake is frozen over, it does not yet mean that travel is safe. Be careful!
The freeze-up occurred three days earlier than in 2023.
Congratulations to Don Johnson with his winning prediction of January 4, 2024.
January 7, 2024:
January 5, 2024:
December 22, 2023:
December 16, 2023:
December 15, 2023:
December 3, 2023:
Clear skies over Northeastern Ontario yesterday resulted in the following satellite imagery. The smaller and shallower lakes in Temagami are starting to freeze (light blue). Lake Temagami’s shallow, protected Obabika Inlet and Kokoko Bay (yellow arrows) have ice on them, but the deeper Obabika and Kokoko Lakes beyond remain open.
Our ice-watch experts have been polled knowing reputations and prize money are at stake. The follower are their predictions for complete freeze-over of Lake Temagami.
- Jackie Hodgins: December 25th
- Sacha Stevens: December 26th
- Penny St. Germain: December 28th
- Bob Farr: December 30th
- Don Johnson: January 4th
Bob hopes to be snowmobiling to the landing from Bear Island by December 24th.
On November 30th, Don noted the surface temperature in the SW Arm was 5 C. The entire volume of the lake has to cool another degree before the surface will consistently freeze. That should take another week. The following usual 3-4 week freezing process should put the Freeze-Up date in early January.
We will see!
November 28, 2023:
With ice beginning to form on the back lakes and in the bays of Lake Temagami, we will continue the tradition began on Ottertooth.com in 2002 and track this winter’s freeze-up. Our “official” date will be when Lake Temagami – the largest, deepest lake in the Muncipality – has no evident open water.
Once again we have a crack team of observers located in the North, South, and Southwest Arms, and the Hub, along with satellite and aerial imagery (when available).
Bob Farr has been observing freeze-up for 53 years. Recent, consistent, cold temperatures have Bob optimistic that this year’s event will occur more rapidly than last year, when residents were island bound for three weeks or more. Temperatures have already dipped as low as -15 C this month.
Stay tuned for updates as freeze-up progresses.
November 27, 2023:
