It has been a dry, cold Winter...

and then it wasn't. Forecasting ice-out on Lucerne this year is going to be tricky. The lake ice at the start of March was half a yard thick and clear as crystal. Now that ice is covered with a March-in-like-a-lion type blizzard. The around 8 to 12 inches of heavy, insulating snow should keep the ice on the lake a week or more longer than it should be. This century, the latest the ice has been on the lake was back on May 8th 2014 and 2018. Back in 1996, ice-out was on the 9th or 10th (records from this period are sketchy, obtained partly from oral histories and local cave walls). Let's hope we don't get a frozen three-peat this century. We asked an AI when it "thought" the date of ice-out on Lucerne would be. The reply:

"The ice-out date on Wisconsin's Lake Lucerne, like many northern lakes, typically varies depending on weather patterns. For Lake Lucerne in Forest County, ice-out usually happens around late April to early May. However, it can fluctuate based on factors like winter severity and spring temperatures.

To get a more precise estimate for 2025, you could keep an eye on local weather forecasts closer to the time, as it would depend on the winter conditions leading into the spring. Does that help, or would you like more details about ice-out timing in the area?"

AI can be a helpful tool when coding, but an ice-out Nostradamus it's clearly not. So now is the time to do your research, search your feelings, and avoid mostly worthless AI predictions. And maybe win money. Last year, ice-out occurred on April 10th. Maybe that helps, maybe not. In any event, good luck!

Pick ice-out, win money!

The rules are simple. The first person to pick Wisconsin's Lake Lucerne 2025 ice-out date here wins $100.00. The second person to select that date wins $50.00, the third wins $25.00, the fourth wins $15.00, the fifth wins $10.00. Any picks after fifth place will win our admiration and thanks for playing. One entry per person. Every 24 hours or so, we'll put pending entries into the selected dates area after they're purged of dups, bots, and pets (Your cat may think he's people, but he's not. Humans only). Until then, pending dates will be listed in the "Pending Dates" Column. The decision of the judges (The College of Loons, Lake Lucerne's oldest and most mysterious semi-secret society) is final. This offer is not valid in any state or country where it is not legal. No purchase necessary. Any malfunction (software, firmware, hardware, Loon(s)) voids all plays.

2025 Ice-Out Entry Form