NSIDC-0064 Nenana Ice Classic: Tanana River Ice Annual Breakup Dates Nenana Ice Classic Nenana Ice Classic: Tanana River Ice Annual Breakup Dates 2011-09-29 Boulder, Colorado USA NSIDC: National Snow and Ice Data Center http://nsidc.org/data/nsidc-0064.html Technical Contact NSIDC User Services nsidc@nsidc.org 1 303 492-6199 x 1 303 492-2468 x

National Snow and Ice Data Center

CIRES, 449 UCB

University of Colorado

Boulder CO 80309-0449 USA EARTH SCIENCE Cryosphere Snow/Ice Freeze/Thaw EARTH SCIENCE Cryosphere Snow/Ice Ice Growth/Melt EARTH SCIENCE Cryosphere Snow/Ice River Ice EARTH SCIENCE Terrestrial Hydrosphere Snow/Ice Freeze/Thaw EARTH SCIENCE Terrestrial Hydrosphere Snow/Ice Ice Growth/Melt EARTH SCIENCE Terrestrial Hydrosphere Snow/Ice River Ice EOSDIS Nenana Ice Classic Nenana River NSIDC River Ice Breakup Tanana River CLOCKS GROUND STATIONS 1917-04-01 in work 62 62 -149 -149 1 year EOSDIS Earth Observing System Data Information System ESIP Earth Science Information Partners Program English NSIDC_DAAC NASA DAAC at the National Snow and Ice Data Center http://nsidc.org/daac/index.html Data Center Contact NSIDC User Services nsidc@nsidc.org 1 303 492-6199 1 303 492-2468

National Snow and Ice Data Center

CIRES, 449 UCB

University of Colorado

Boulder CO 80309-0449 USA NSIDC National Snow and Ice Data Center http://nsidc.org Data Center Contact NSIDC User Services nsidc@nsidc.org 1 303 492-6199 1 303 492-2468

National Snow and Ice Data Center

CIRES, 449 UCB

University of Colorado

Boulder CO 80309-0449 USA FTP 1 MB ASCII Text

The Nenana river in the Interior of Alaska usually freezes over during October and November. The ice continues to grow throughout the winter accumulating an average maximum thickness of about 110 cm, depending upon winter weather conditions. The Nenana River Ice Classic competition began in 1917 when railroad engineers bet a total of 800 dollars, winner takes all, guessing the exact time (month, day, hour, minute) ice on the Nenana River would break up. Each year since then, Alaska residents have guessed at the timing of the river breakup. A tripod, connected to an on-shore clock with a string, is planted in two feet of river ice during river freeze-up in October or November. The following spring, the clock automatically stops when the tripod moves as the ice breaks up. The time on the clock is used as the river ice breakup time. Many factors influence the river ice breakup, such as air temperature, ice thickness, snow cover, wind, water temperature, and depth of water below the ice. Generally, the Nenana river ice breaks up in late April or early May (historically, April 20 to May 20). The time series of the Nenana river ice breakup dates can be used to indicate climate change in the region.

USA/NASA CEOS IDN DIF 9.7 2011-09-29 2013-03-18 Fixed Access Data link. No optional reg form was chosen.