Sophisticated Skeptic Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Probably the first time in decades, the Delaware River has a legitimate chance at freezing over completely due to our extended period of usually cold weather. Thoughts and possible impacts ? Obviously flooding would be one, if we were to have dramatic warming and heavy rains in February. They had a piece out here (news) a couple weeks ago, about how it caused rivers to backup in 96'. http://wnep.com/2014/01/09/watching-the-icy-delaware-river/ (Use this thread to post your latest observed images of the Delaware as well.) Watching The Icy Delaware RiverDELAWARE RIVER — New concerns are being raised about the frozen Delaware River and what could happen if we get a sudden thaw and rain over the weekend. People along the river remember all too well when the same kind of thing happened back in 1996. McMichael’s Creek eventually feeds into the Delaware River. If the Delaware River swells it causes a backup to creeks and streams like McMichael’s Creek. All eyes are on the ice-covered Delaware River as Monroe County emergency officials wait to see how quickly the ice melts and where it goes. All kinds of jagged shapes and sizes of ice chunks are poking out of the Delaware. At Kittatinny Point near the Delaware Water Gap, a set of stairs would have led to a beach and then the river. The only proof the ice-covered area is a beach is a sign warning “no lifeguards.” The ice-sealed river attracted the attention of Aina Rathbun and her husband. “I took some of the ice flows clumped together at one spot,” she said, describing her photos. Down the river a bit, Edie Buckner was training her dog Sydney how to herd sheep. She recalls the last time seeing the Delaware River look ice-covered like this was back in the 1990s. “I remember going down to Smithfield Beach and the ice was piled up on the beach,” Buckner said. Video from Skycam 16 back then shows nearby Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort surrounded by floating chunks of ice. “The river had frozen and there were huge, huge chunks of ice that had crumpled up on the beach,” Buckner recalled. But things were different back in 1996, according to the National Weather Service. A blizzard left a lot of snow on the ground, temperatures rose, and there was heavy rain which caused the river to swell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KamuSnow Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 If it's okay maybe we could post pics, etc. of other iced up waterways? There's a nice waterfall I may check out over the weekend. I know this thread references the Delaware, do you want to expand it? Or make another thread for ice, etc.? Seems like high potential for ice news and stories over the next week or 2 and this doesn't happen every winter. Thanks.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophisticated Skeptic Posted January 24, 2014 Author Share Posted January 24, 2014 sounds cool. ^ turr hurrrr, Ice Warning already issued. http://www.marinelink.com/news/delaware-warning-issued363355.aspx Ice Warning Issued on the Delaware RiverThursday, January 23, 2014 The Captain of the Port (COTP) Delaware Bay is notifying mariners that Ice Condition II has been set. This means there have been reports of ice formation that may impact navigation throughout the COTP zone.All masters, ship agents and owners and operators of vessels, marine facilities and marinas should review and adhere to the following Ice Condition II procedures for the Delaware River and its tributaries, the Delaware Bay, and New Jersey and Delaware coasts: Only steel hull vessels may operate north of the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, in the Schuylkill Rover, in the Salem River, and within the Chesapeake and Delaware (C&D) Canal. Vessels should be able to maneuver unassisted through the ice without needing to stop, back off and ram the ice. Vessel moorings should be checked frequently to ensure the vessel is adequatley moored. Vessels at anchor should maintain their engines on standby at all time when ice is present. Vessel sea chests should be checked regularly for ice buildup and precautions should be taken to ensure that the sea chests are kept clear. Vessels at anchor should ensure that proper bridge watches are stood at all times. The COTP Delaware Bay may establish additional requirements for specific geographic areas of the COTP Zone if conditions warrant such restrictions. Updates to ice conditions can be heard by calling the Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bat Ice Hotline at (215) 271 4995.Mariners are also requested to keep the Coast Guard informed of any major ice developments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ_Ken Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 If it's okay maybe we could post pics, etc. of other iced up waterways? There's a nice waterfall I may check out over the weekend. I know this thread references the Delaware, do you want to expand it? Or make another thread for ice, etc.? Seems like high potential for ice news and stories over the next week or 2 and this doesn't happen every winter. Thanks.... Not sure where you are planning on going, but, if memory serves (it's been about 10 years since I last hiked it), there are a couple of very cool waterfalls along the Appalachian Trail as you head out of the Delaware Water Gap heading south (i.e. on the PA side of the River). I would have to imagine that they are (or soon will be) frozen solid at this point which would probably be pretty amazing to look at. On the Jersey side of the gap, you could always check out Sunfish Pond, which is certainly frozen and kind of a cool landmark in any case (it is a glacial lake which are darn rare this far south). There are probably falls on the Jersey side, too, but I haven't strayed far off the AT in that area so I only know what is adjacent to the trail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastonwx Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 This afternoon's HWO from NWS: RIVER ICE WILL BE THICKENING AND INCREASING THIS COMING WEEK, WITHTHE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW ICE JAMS AND ASSOCIATED FLOODING. WHEREAND WHEN THESE WILL FORM ARE UNKNOWNS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foobar Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Looks like it could be a problem sooner than later... http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=phi&gage=tren4&hydro_type=0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophisticated Skeptic Posted January 25, 2014 Author Share Posted January 25, 2014 interestin...i didn't even bother checking them out, thinkin streamflow was low enough. good ole beaver brook, showing some rises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophisticated Skeptic Posted January 26, 2014 Author Share Posted January 26, 2014 looks like a lot of gauges along the Delaware have frozen (flat-lined) the last couple days...like the one above. when they all flat-line we can officially say it's frozen over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KamuSnow Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 2 days in a row now I've seen a few seagulls in the sky here. I'm wondering if the Delaware freezing has anything to do with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmn Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I live on the Delaware. The river isn't frozen over. Faster moving areas are ice free. Slow moving are clogged with icebergs but not frozen over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KamuSnow Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I live on the Delaware. The river isn't frozen over. Faster moving areas are ice free. Slow moving are clogged with icebergs but not frozen over. Thank you for the report! Where on the Delaware btw? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Wiggum Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Drove thru Trenton area today and I can assure u that the Delaware River is frozen over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophisticated Skeptic Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 Interesting... but at what point does it become official ... nws announcement ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Not all parts are likely to freeze over the same way or time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophisticated Skeptic Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 should be cold enough / ice thick enough now to walk across the whole river. (most areas) QPF next tuesday / wednesday could be troublesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SalemCountyNJ Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 The river is not frozen over near the DMB. The current is way to strong in the shipping lanes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazwoper Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Picture I took this morning flying over river as it empties to the bay. Quite a bit of ice even that far down stream. You can see the line the tanker makes in the ice as it heads towards the Atlantic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JERSEYSNOWROB Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 WOW great shot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ_Ken Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I flew over the Delaware yesterday, and I was shocked by how much was NOT frozen.... Not just further south like in Hazwopper's great pic but also between the Walt Whitman and the airport (we approached from the northeast). Today I drove up 29 to Lambertville. There was lots of ice of course, but there was also a surprising amount of open patches. I guess my childhood years have jaded me because I was certain this latest cold snap coupled with the previous one would be more than enough to freeze the river solid by now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMolineuxLM1 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I flew over the Delaware yesterday, and I was shocked by how much was NOT frozen.... Not just further south like in Hazwopper's great pic but also between the Walt Whitman and the airport (we approached from the northeast). Today I drove up 29 to Lambertville. There was lots of ice of course, but there was also a surprising amount of open patches. I guess my childhood years have jaded me because I was certain this latest cold snap coupled with the previous one would be more than enough to freeze the river solid by now.I might be wrong but I heard or read something about the salt line in the Delaware actually has been progressing further north in the river in general? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vogelhund Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Interesting... but at what point does it become official ... nws announcement ? When they take the red flag down and put the green one up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluescat1 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I might be wrong but I heard or read something about the salt line in the Delaware actually has been progressing further north in the river in general? People have actually seen blue claw crabs near Trenton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophisticated Skeptic Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 it's gotta be frozen now....no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastonwx Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I haven't checked today, but the last few days the river just north of Easton was flowing freely. Some border ice in spots and a bit of frazil ice floating around on certain days. I can't imagine that it has changed much down Trenton way though. I too, thought that with this winter, it would have been frozen more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plokoon111 Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 It thawed and un froze the past few days, but now just judging from the creek a thin layer of ice is beginning to freeze again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophisticated Skeptic Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 wow...it's gotta be the salt line then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 My guess is that people's perceptions of "frozen river" in the more distant past were skewed by only looking at it at certain points. Certainly there were places in Trenton where it looked very frozen. If you only looked at it from one spot, then you probably figured the whole river was frozen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 wow...it's gotta be the salt line then. The salt line can only go up to Trenton. That's a pretty extreme case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 http://www.state.nj.us/drbc/hydrological/river/salt/ According to this, the salt line is way downstream in Delaware. Furthest north its ever been is mile 102, which is in Philly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChargerRT Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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