No matter how tempting, people should not walk or play on the area’s frozen-over rivers.
Especially because things will be warming up soon.
Meteorologists at the National Weather Service expect temperatures to be above freezing Thursday through Sunday, said Alicia Miller, a hydrologist with the weather service.
“That, in addition to a little bit of rainfall, could contribute to a little bit of ice moving,” she said.
With the above-normal temperatures and rain looking more likely, meteorologists and experts will be monitoring the potential for ice breakup leading to ice jams on area rivers and streams.
A frigid cold snap last week caused rivers to freeze. Reports vary from 3 to 6 inches of ice on the Allegheny River, Miller said. Such conditions haven’t been seen since 2018.
Authorities advise people to stay off the ice. The Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department, which services Freeport, Ford City and Gilpin, said in a statement its officers have fielded calls for children playing on river ice.
“It’s important to prioritize safety, especially when it comes to ice conditions on rivers,” police said. “It may not seem like it, but the past few days have been warmer. Those warmer conditions have been thinning the ice. As the ice thins, the risk of breaking through increases significantly.”
Authorities in Sharpsburg and Pittsburgh also fielded reports of people walking on river ice late last week or over the weekend. There have not been any reports of people falling through the ice or needing to be rescued.
“Everyone should stay clear of frozen waterways,” said Kasey Reigner, a spokeswoman for the Allegheny County Emergency Services. “Current conditions allow for varied thickness to any frozen waterways due to freeze and thaw rates and water flows.”
Reigner said her department has seen evidence of people and animals that crossed frozen rivers last week but knows of no incidents of people or animals falling into the waterways.
Being on the ice can have dangerous or even fatal consequences.
In Tarentum 43 years ago, two young boys were believed to have fallen through the ice on the Allegheny River. They were never found.
“It’s a good time to remind everyone about the dangers associated with walking or playing on thawing ice,” police said. “Please encourage your children to stay off the river. It is not safe. Talking with your children is a crucial step in preventing accidents.”
Miller said those precautions are even more important as the ice and snow begin to melt.
“River ice is very unstable,” she said. “Folks should absolutely not be walking on it, especially as things are starting to thaw out.”
Allegheny County Emergency Services visually monitors river ice conditions daily and gets weekly reports and updates from NWS and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Reigner said.
There are no immediate concerns regarding flooding, Reigner said, but some mixed precipitation is expected this week that could cause the Monongahela River to rise.
“The last time we experienced similar ice conditions was in early 2018, which did lead to localized river flooding, mostly on the Allegheny,” Reigner said. “A nice slow thaw without too much rain for a few weeks will be very helpful.”
It’s difficult to pinpoint where ice will jam and when flooding will happen, Miller said. Historically, ice jams occur in East Brady, Clarion County.
Andrew Byrne, a spokesman with the Army Corps of Engineers, acknowledged that snowmelt and ice melting on the rivers play a role in affecting the region’s water levels. He said a slower melt is ideal, whereas warmer temperatures and additional precipitation could increase water levels.
The Army Corps of Engineers operates and maintains the locks on the Allegheny River.
Byrne said the corps operates 16 flood-control reservoirs within its footprint to mitigate and reduce flood risk, “because our reservoirs are designed to store water during weather events and release excess storage after downstream locations have crested.”
“Our water management team monitors levels around the clock, 365 days a year, and the district will operate our reservoirs accordingly to continue reducing flood risk,” Byrne said.