Opening Day Weather

Questions regarding Weather, Bugs, Northern Lights and other "natural" phenomena.

Moderator: drobarge

Spyder1
NewbieCake
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2018 5:35 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 9

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by Spyder1 »

The winter of discontent continues seaplane flights cancelled for at least May 14 and 15 too much ice in the harbors and quite a bit of snow on trails I’m told. Hopefully make for a later bug season start anyway!
cadenparulski
NewbieCake
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:11 am

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by cadenparulski »

What does this mean for the May 14th Isle Royale Queen trip? Still business as usual?
User avatar
Midwest Ed
IR Expert
Posts: 1355
Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2010 1:25 am
Isle Royale Visits: 8
Location: Quad Cities, IL
Has thanked: 42 times
Been thanked: 82 times

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by Midwest Ed »

cadenparulski wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 5:33 am What does this mean for the May 14th Isle Royale Queen trip? Still business as usual?
The plane lands in Tobin Harbor not the Rock Harbor channel. Tobin Harbor appears to still be iced in (per NOAA satellite imagery on 4/29. Rock Harbor seems more open. Even though the Mott Island dock is still iced in as of today (per the Mott Island web cam), the camera shows recent activity on the dock so park personnel are on Mott Island. The camera is also now showing distinctly open blue water further out in the channel beyond the dock. Your only sure way of knowing about Snug Harbor (where the Queen docks) and then to verify the Queen's intentions for May 14 is to contact the ferry operator in Copper Harbor.
8 trips, 1975 x 2, 1976 x 2, 1978, 1985, 2000, 2013
User avatar
Nick
Bushwacker
Posts: 238
Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:57 am
Isle Royale Visits: 23
Location: DeTour Village, mi
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by Nick »

I just took a look at the Grand Portage, MN web cam and it looks like the bay is clear of ice: https://www.mwhazecam.net/site.aspx?site=grand

That said, here at the confluence of the St. Mary's River and Lake Huron, we still have a lot of ice. As the wind changes, so does the ice coverage. In DeTour Village, the ice was clear on the west side of the DeTour Passage, but filled in quickly Saturday when the wind changed. That could hold true for Grand Portage and Isle Royale as well. The ice is following the same pattern here as I see on the Mott Island web camera, so I'm hoping that my view will be indicative of what's happening with the ice on the Island. Fingers crossed for the first boat on the 12th.
JerryB
May actually live on IR
Posts: 381
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 7:30 am
Isle Royale Visits: 14
Has thanked: 36 times
Been thanked: 49 times

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by JerryB »

I checked in with the Grand Portage Ferry yesterday. I am on the (now) second boat to the island in two weeks. No guarantees but it looks good for the ice to be gone!
User avatar
Tom
Forum Moderator
Posts: 789
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:16 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 16
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota
Been thanked: 12 times

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by Tom »

Looks like the Ranger III made it to the Mott Dock today! I saw the backhoe breaking up the ice along the dock earlier this morning.
User avatar
Montana
NewbieCake
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2016 10:36 am
Isle Royale Visits: 1
Location: Missoula, Montana

Re: Opening Day Weather

Post by Montana »

From the webcam...
IRNP.JPG
Post Reply