For the first time in years, western part of Lake Superior freezes over

If the big lake seems to have an unusually placid appearance off Duluth’s shores these days, it’s because you’re looking at ice.

The western tip of Lake Superior has frozen over in December for the first time in recent memory, and that could mean a long season of ice angling that hasn’t been seen in years.

New Hampshire: Ice storm surges to 2008's top story

Though it came late, the ice storm of 2008 wreaked havoc on the Hampton area and surged to the head of the list of the year's top stories.

At its peak, downed trees, limbs and power lines caused by the heavy ice left nearly 400,000 residents statewide in the dark, some for more than one week.

The Dec. 11 storm was labeled "unprecedented" by local and state officials. The situation was so severe that N.H. Gov. John Lynch declared a state of emergency.

"I have seen nothing like this," said Unitil's Stephanye Schuyler during an interview immediately following the storm. "Poles are broken like match sticks."
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Making it worse were two snowstorms that followed, dumping nearly two feet on the Seacoast and reminding our local populace that New England winters can be quite harsh, and not limited to a calendar schedule of seasons.

Winter didn't officially start until Dec. 21, ten days after the ice storm struck.

Cold snap lets southern Indiana ski slope open up -- chicagotribune.com

PAOLI, Ind. - The recent cold snap has allowed a southern Indiana ski slope to open up earlier than in many recent years.