Green Bay, Wis. – Boaters, anglers and shoreline residents along the bay face a heightened ice floe risk this afternoon as southwest wind gusts near 25 mph begin shifting broken ice toward portions of the Door Peninsula, especially north of Sturgeon Bay.
According to the National Weather Service in Green Bay, breezy southwest winds will strengthen through late morning and peak during the midafternoon hours Monday. Gusts between 22 and 26 mph are expected from Dyckesville to Sister Bay, while inland communities including Green Bay see gusts near 20 mph. High temperatures will climb into the mid-30s to lower 40s, accelerating ice breakup across exposed shoreline areas.
The greatest concern centers along WI-42 and WI-57 north of Sturgeon Bay, where open water has expanded in recent days. As winds push across the bay, large sheets of broken and thinning ice may shift quickly, creating hazardous conditions for anyone on the ice and for boats navigating near marinas and harbors.
Communities such as Ephraim, Fish Creek and Ellison Bay could see ice pileups along the shoreline by midafternoon. Changing wind direction later this evening may reduce movement, but unstable ice will remain.
Officials urge residents to avoid walking or driving on bay ice and to secure boats and docks along vulnerable stretches of shoreline. Ice conditions can change within minutes when winds increase.
Breezy conditions taper after sunset, but the risk for shifting ice continues through early evening. Additional advisories may be issued if wind speeds increase beyond current projections.
