Freeze Up
Freeze-Up Watch 2024/2025:
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
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 4, 2024 | Wabikon | Don Johnson |
| 2024/2025 | |||
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:
