Ice measurements for the Nenana Ice Classic continue and a new measurement will be taken again on Thursday as the Tanana River's ice stubbornly persists.

The last measurement, taken yesterday set a record for the annual Nenana Ice Classic, in that it is the latest that a measurement has been taken in the recent history of the annual Alaskan breakup lottery that is known the world over. None of the measurement dates shown on the Ice Classic site show any dates even close to the May 6th measurement taken yesterday.

That measurement taken yesterday was 40 inches, which shows it 3.3 inches thicker than the previous measurement of 36.7 inches on May 2nd. Measurements are taken randomly over an area of the river ice.

The tripod, located at Nenana is still standing, an unmoving sentinel waiting for the ice to deteriorate beneath and around it. Its prolonged watch continues as trip lines connecting it to shore remain slack. Although the event is called the Nenana Ice Classic, the tripod is set up on the Tanana River, the event is named after the community there. There has been no need to connect the trip wire to the clock that will record the exact time of the contest’s breakup.

According to the Nenana Ice Classic web site, “The ice is still solid from bank to bank, no visable signs of water. The temperatures were in the mid to lower 30’s from Wednesday April 23rd thru Thursday May 2nd during the day, and dropping down to the mid 20’s in the evenings.”

With the temperatures in the range they have been recorded, and the below freezing temperatures registered at night, there is little likelihood that the river will go out anytime soon. It isn’t until daytime temperatures persist in the 60s and nightime temperatures stay above freezing that any meaningful melt on the river occurs.

The Tanana River generally doesn’t usually break up for at least a week after the Nenana River begins to flow free, and that river is showing no signs of freeing up either.

This year’s pot for some lucky winner or winners is at $318,500. This pot amount is down somewhat from last year’s record pot of $350,000, but is still a substantial amount for some lucky guesser.