Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency reminds residents that as ice forms on waterbodies in this cold snap that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe to venture out.

WSA points out that ice does not freeze at a uniform thickness and its strength can vary considerably from one area to another. As well, the date that ice becomes safe at a particular site varies from year to year, so you need to verify the ice thickness not just rely on what you’ve seen in the past.

As a guideline, you need at least 10 cm (four inches) of ice to walk on, 20 cm (eight inches) to drive a snowmobile or ATV on, 30 cm (12 inches) to drive a car or light truck on, and more than 30 cm (12 inches) to support a heavy truck.