Toronto, Feb. 26 (Reporter Yu Ruidong) Affected by the El Niño phenomenon, as the world's longest outdoor natural ice road, the Lido Canal ice track in Ottawa, the capital of Canada, closed on the evening of February 25 after only 10 days of intermittent opening this winter, hastily ending the open season.
Canada's National Capital Council made a relevant announcement on the 25th and made an appointment with the public to "see you next winter".
It was also the shortest season ever on the Lido Canal Ice Track. In the winter of 2023, the Lido Canal was not able to freeze as well as it could have been due to a mild winter, resulting in the first time in more than half a century completely closed to the public.
The Ottawa Royalty Canal Ice Run was first opened in January 1971. Today, the total length of the iceway that winds through downtown Ottawa is more than 78 km. In 2005, it was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest skating track formed by natural ice. In 2007, the Lido Canal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The open season usually runs from early January to early March, depending on the weather conditions. According to Canada's National Capital Council, ice tracks can be opened to the public when the ice is more than 30 centimeters thick and of good quality. For this, it is generally necessary to have cold weather of -10 to -20 degrees Celsius for 10 to 14 consecutive days.
Historical records show that the average length of the open season was 50 days, with the longest recorded being 95 days in the winter of 1971-1972.
Although Canada was generally in a warm winter this winter, there were brief periods of heavy snowfall and extreme cold weather that brought about dramatic ups and downs. Regions such as the Greater Toronto Area and Eastern Ontario, where Ottawa is located, are likely to experience a sharp drop in temperatures on February 28. Severe weather such as snowfall, strong winds, and freezing rain will interrupt the warm season, which is rarely seen at present. However, after a few days of bad weather, temperatures are expected to be in early March**.