FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — Broken river ice that has been moving down the Aroostook River looks to have settled here for the winter. The ice jam is not currently posing any problems, but officials will be keeping an eye on it come this spring.
Joe Hewitt, lead forecaster at the National Weather Service Officer in Caribou, explained that as of Monday afternoon, the ice jam was still holding together on the downriver side of the Fort Fairfield Bridge, between the span and Tinker Dam in neighboring New Brunswick.
As the ice moved down the river, it affected Washburn, Crouseville and Fort Fairfield, which saw higher water levels than usual in low-lying areas.
Ice jams so early in the season aren’t normal, but they do happen from time to time — like in 1999, when the last jam of this magnitude occurred this time of year.
“Normally we look for these jams to set up more toward late March and April. We can see them break up and re-freeze,” Hewitt explained.
This December got off to an unusually cold and snowy start. The first 10 days of December were, on average, 7.4 degrees below normal, and it has been the coldest start to December since 2007. There also has been more snow than normal to date, with more 40 inches observed where there usually is around 18 inches by this time of year.
Warmer temperatures and rain followed this month’s early chill, which influenced the early jam. Hewitt explained that ice jams typically require temperatures higher than upper 30s and low 40s — such as was observed in the region last week — but those temperatures were warm enough to melt the ice and allow the breaks.
“The ice thickness to these jams was no more than 6 to 12 inches. … With a lower thickness, it doesn’t take a lot of warm air and force to move it,” he said.
After the winter, ice can be 2- to 3-feet thick, requiring a lot more force and warmth to break up.
Monday’s reports showed the water flowing quite high in the Aroostook River near the Fort Fairfield bridge, as ice jams cause water to back up behind them. Though the jam in Fort Fairfield is a low threat, Hewitt anticipates it will be there for a while, particularly because the next week was expected to bring pretty normal colder temperatures.
“Another reason why I think that ice is staying in place is that water temperatures over the next few weeks will get colder, and that ice won’t melt. If anything, it’s going to get thicker,” he said.
Whether it’s a December jam or an April one, Hewitt cautioned folks to steer clear of the ice.
“The best thing for people to do is stay away from the shoreline, and don’t go down by the river,” he said.