Canandaigua Lake has mostly frozen over after weeks of bitter cold, according to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. The 276-foot-deep Finger Lake hasn’t seen this kind of widespread ice in years.
Emily DeBolt of the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association said prolonged subzero temperatures and light wind allow the lake to seal up. The last full freeze came in 2015 after nine straight days below zero. She said climate change has made complete freezes less common.
Ice blocks light and oxygen, which can limit algae growth. But DeBolt warned spring storms and nutrient runoff could still trigger harmful blooms. The final patch of open water lingered near the south end, possibly due to underground springs.
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