Ice buildup from the recent cold weather is prompting the U.S Coast Guard to bring out its icebreakers a week earlier than last year.
Monday afternoon, the Coast Guard began Operation Taconite, its largest domestic icebreaking operation, to break up ice forming in the western Great Lakes.
Starting from Sault Ste. Marie, the Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay will break ice making its way west toward Duluth. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard Cutter Alder is replacing summer buoys with hardier winter ones.
No channels are currently closed, but the ice-breaking operation places restrictions on commercial shipping in the western lakes. When ice is present, tanker transits are restricted to daylight at reduced speeds and additional position reporting is required.
Recreational ice users are urged to use caution and stay away from shipping channels.
