As planet warms, less ice covering North American lakes
An athlete sweeps a puck behind a goal at a pond hockey tournament Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, in Grand Lake, Colo. The event, which takes place on the state's largest natural lake, was held a month later than normal due to a delayed freeze following a trend of extremely hot summers and an uncharacteristically warm fall. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson)
GRAND LAKE, Colorado (AP) — In Grand Lake, Colorado, an outdoor ice hockey tournament was postponed due to thin ice on the fragile alpine lake. This comes as “winter weirding” events, like rain followed by snow, cause unstable ice for fishing and transportation. Longer open water seasons also affect fish and drinking water quality. A recent study out of Toronto’s York University showed that in the last 25 years, 18 North American lakes have lost ice six times faster than the historical average. Experts say the only way to preserve lake ice cover over the long term is to reduce greenhouse gas