Madison Lake Ice Summary

View recent freezing and thawing statistics for three Madison-area lakes — Mendota, Monona, and Wingra — as well as ice averages and extremes.

Note: The freezing date is the first date that the majority of the lake surface is estimated to be frozen. No reliable information on ice thickness is available. See how ice-in, ice-out dates are determined for Madison lakes

This Year (2023-2024)

Mendota Monona Wingra
Date lake froze January 15 January 15 December 13, December 19, January 5
Date lake opened February 28 February 28 December 17, December 24, February 28
Days of ice cover 44 44 63

Last Year (2022-2023)

Mendota Monona Wingra
Date lake froze December 25 December 19 November 21, December 18
Date lake opened April 2 March 20 November 28, March 20
Days of ice cover 98 91 99

2021-2022

Mendota Monona Wingra
Date lake froze January 7 January 3 December 7, December 23
Date lake opened April 2 March 26 December 16, March 25
Days of ice cover 85 82 101

Median Dates and Duration of Ice Cover

Mendota Monona Wingra
Median freeze date December 20 December 15 November 29
Median opening date April 4 March 30 March 25
Median days of ice cover 102 103 113

Record Dates for Lakes to Freeze

Mendota Monona Wingra
Earliest freeze date November 23, 1880 November 22, 1880 November 2, 1913
Second-earliest freeze date November 25, 1857 November 23, 1857 November 5, 1991
Latest freeze date January 30, 1932 January 30, 1932 December 30, 2015
Second-latest freeze date January 20, 2007 January 18, 2007 December 29, 1877

Record Dates for Lakes to Open

Mendota Monona Wingra
Earliest opening date February 27, 1998 February 26, 2002 February 26, 1998
Second-earliest opening date February 28, 2024 February 27, 1998 February 27, 2017
Latest opening date May 6, 1857 May 4, 1857 April 29, 1881
Second-latest opening date May 3, 1881 May 1, 1881 April 19, 1975

Records for Duration of Ice Cover

(Number of days and season)

Mendota Monona Wingra
Shortest duration 21 (2001-02) 44 (2023-24) 63 (2023-24)
Second-shortest duration 44 (2023-24) 49 (1997-98) 69 (2015-16)
Longest duration 161 (1880-81) 160 (1880-81) 164 (1880-81)
Second-longest duration 151 (1856-57) 151 (1856-57) 145 (1887-88)