A combination of mild temperatures, rain, and strong winds has broken the back of the huge ice sheet covering Lake Nipissing.
Towering ice ridges could be seen along the North Bay shoreline Monday as the wind drove the ice over rocky outcrops over the weekend. Large stretches of open water are also evident.
Piled-up ice indicates remaining ice on the lake is still about a foot thick, although it will vary in different parts.
Last year saw huge ice tsunamis along the North Bay waterfront, large enough to attract crowds and a warning by officials to stay off because of the danger.
See: Ice tsunami on shoreline a popular waterfront attraction
The annual break-up of the region's biggest ice cube often sparks bets among locals about when the lake will be free of ice.
The earliest the lake has been free of ice was on April 3, 1945, while in 1926 it wasn’t clear until May 19.
Last year it was declared free on April 26.
Lake Nipissing is the 11th largest lake in Ontario at 832 km2 (321 sq mi). But it sits sixth if you don't count the Great Lakes chain.
A spokesman for the MNRF told BayToday that the freshet is still in its early stages and Nipissing's water level is about normal for this time of year.
