MADISON (WKOW) -- Every winter, people in southern Wisconsin take advantage of some of the state's finest assets: the lakes and their ice. But this year, two big events have either been canceled or modified because of the warmer temperatures.
Clean Lakes Alliance had to move its annual "Frozen Assets Fundraiser" off the ice. The organization also canceled its "Kites on Mendota."
Now, UW-Madison is rethinking its Winter Carnival where one of the highlights is a replica of Lady Liberty that appears to be coming out of the ice.
"We have very variable ice conditions on the lake and the warm forecast for the rest of the week. We're expecting to lose another inch of ice or so by the end of the week. So, we have elected to put Lady Liberty on Library Mall out in front of the Memorial Union," Nicole Mitchell, Vice President of Administration at Wisconsin Hoofers, said.
Mitchell said hopefully the warmer weather encourages more people to come out. Winter carnival events will be happening all week long.
But if you do decide to take part in any activity on the ice, experts at UW's Center for Limnology advise you do so carefully.
Hilary Dugan, associate professor at the center, has been in Madison for nearly 10 years and calls this winter "odd."
"I love being beside Lake Mendota. I mean, I get to come to work every day and see the ice conditions," she said. "When people ask me about the state of the ice this winter, I would say it's a little sketchy."