As for residents and visitors getting on the ice to play, which is a favorite activity during the winter — especially between Christmas and New Year’s Day — North Elba Park District Manager Butch Martin said Wednesday morning that the ice is thin and there is open water in some parts of the lake. The Park District operates the Lake Placid Toboggan Chute and plows skating rinks in front of the Beach House and the ice skating path around the lake in the winter. “We’re not even close,” Martin said about having enough ice for people to safely go on the lake. And looks can be deceiving when it comes to ice thickness. “What looks good might not be good,” he added.

The National Weather Service is forecasting mostly sunny skies on Friday, Dec. 22 with a high near 27 and a low around 15 that night. Saturday will be mostly cloudy with a high near 34 and a low around 26 overnight. It is expected to be around 38 degrees Sunday and partly sunny Christmas Day with a high near 42. It will remain unseasonably warm on Tuesday and Wednesday with highs near 40 and a chance of rain both days.