The National Weather Service (NWS) Chicago/Rockford, IL, office uses information from volunteer spotters along area rivers to monitor the development of river ice which may lead to flooding. Ice jams are often localized and may occur away from river gauges. River ice spotters share important information such as extent of ice cover, ice cover trends, and location of ice jams which is very important for issuing timely warnings.
River ice can be a serious problem during some winters. Chronic ice jam locations on the Rock, Fox, and Kankakee Rivers have up to a 1-in-2 chance of experiencing an ice jam in any given year, and almost a 1-in-3 chance of experiencing ice jam flooding in a given year.
Qualifications
No special qualifications are required other than living near the river and a willingness to report river and ice conditions.
Reporting Ice Observations
A Google form is used to enter routine reports. For time-sensitive information such as ice jam formation, ice jam break-up, or flooding, we provide a non-public number to call. Reports are requested from all spotters at the same time - weekly on Monday from December through March. Reports are requested by 9AM. Reports may also be sent at other times especially when changes are observed in river ice.
How to Volunteer
For more information, contact the NWS Chicago office.
Email: nws.chicago@noaa.gov
Phone: 815-834-1435 or 815-963-5913
Reference/Training Materials
Most Recent Weekly River Ice Summary
697
FGUS83 KLOT 221948
RVSLOT
Hydrologic Statement
National Weather Service Chicago IL
0148 PM CST Mon Dec 22 2025 /0248 PM EST Mon Dec 22 2025/
Summary of recent river ice conditions based upon spotter reports.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Forecaster Comments
Recent mild temperatures have caused a sizable amount of river ice to
break up and melt in the past week. Ice coverage nevertheless remains
heavy in a few locations on some rivers, but no ice jams have been
reported over the past few days.
Continued above normal/above freezing temperatures will likely result
in a continuation of these river ice trends this week.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The following are river ice reports submitted to the
National Weather Service during the preceding 30 hours.
Fox River...
*Mill Street Bridge, Montgomery
Time: 2025/12/21 20:15 UTC | Source: Trained spotter FX-16
Open (5% ice cover)
*Downstream of Stolp Island, Aurora
Time: 2025/12/22 13:16 UTC | Source: Trained spotter FX-05
Open (15% ice cover) No Change
*Jackson Street and Post Street, Ottawa
Time: 2025/12/22 13:23 UTC | Source: Trained spotter FX-18
Frozen Over (100% ice cover)
*Fox River Park, Ottawa
Time: 2025/12/22 13:28 UTC | Source: Trained spotter FX-18
Frozen Over (100% ice cover)
*OSF Hospital, Ottawa
Time: 2025/12/22 13:34 UTC | Source: Trained spotter FX-18
Frozen Over (100% ice cover)
*Just South of Main Street Bridge, Carpentersville
Time: 2025/12/22 13:42 UTC | Source: Trained spotter FX-01
Partly Frozen (35% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Slowly
*Bennett Park, Geneva
Time: 2025/12/22 14:22 UTC | Source: Trained spotter FX-30
Frozen Over (100% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Slowly
*South End Park, West Dundee
Time: 2025/12/22 15:27 UTC | Source: Trained spotter FX-02
Partly Frozen (35% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Slowly
*Bridge Street, Yorkville
Time: 2025/12/22 16:51 UTC | Source: Trained spotter FX-36
Open (5% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Quickly
Rock River...
*Near Chicory Ridge Park, Roscoe
Time: 2025/12/22 02:27 UTC | Source: Trained spotter RK-04
Open (5% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Quickly
*Just Downstream of Latham Rd. Bridge, Machesney Park
Time: 2025/12/22 11:56 UTC | Source: Trained spotter RK-09
Frozen Over (95% ice cover) No Change
*Four Miles Downstream of IL-2
Time: 2025/12/22 12:46 UTC | Source: Trained spotter RK-08
Frozen Over (100% ice cover) No Change
*One Mile Downstream of Latham Rd. Bridge, Machesney Park
Time: 2025/12/22 13:50 UTC | Source: Trained spotter RK-28
Partly Frozen (25% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Slowly
*Just Downstream of Latham Rd. Bridge, Machesney Park
Time: 2025/12/22 13:57 UTC | Source: Trained spotter RK-11
Frozen Over (85% ice cover) No Change
*Just Upstream of Bauer Pkwy. Bridge, Machesney Park
Time: 2025/12/22 14:46 UTC | Source: Trained spotter RK-02
Frozen Over (100% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Slowly
*Just Upstream of Riverside Blvd. Bridge, Loves Park
Time: 2025/12/22 16:21 UTC | Source: Trained spotter RK-03
Frozen Over (95% ice cover) No Change
Du Page River...
*Route 52 DuPage River Bridge, Shorewood
Time: 2025/12/21 18:55 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DU-07
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*Lincoln Greenway
Time: 2025/12/22 14:18 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DU-02
Open (5% ice cover) No Change
Kankakee River...
*Custer Park
Time: 2025/12/22 13:13 UTC | Source: Trained spotter KK-47
Partly Frozen (30% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Slowly
*Riverside Medical Center, Kankakee
Time: 2025/12/22 13:27 UTC | Source: Trained spotter KK-05
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*One Mile East of Momence
Time: 2025/12/22 13:28 UTC | Source: Trained spotter KK-03
Open (0% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Quickly
*Two Miles Downstream of IL-17
Time: 2025/12/22 14:23 UTC | Source: Trained spotter KK-07
Mostly Frozen (75% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Slowly
*Wilmington Dam
Time: 2025/12/22 14:35 UTC | Source: Trained spotter KK-06
Frozen Over (95% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Slowly
*Just Downstream of State Route 55 Bridge, Shelby
Time: 2025/12/22 14:43 UTC | Source: Trained spotter KK-49
Open (0% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Quickly
*Momence Anchor Club
Time: 2025/12/22 14:48 UTC | Source: Trained spotter KK-32
Open (0% ice cover)
*State Route 55 Bridge, Shelby
Time: 2025/12/22 14:53 UTC | Source: Trained spotter KK-45
Open (5% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Quickly
*Beckman Park / Kankakee Community College
Time: 2025/12/22 14:54 UTC | Source: Trained spotter KK-13
Frozen Over (100% ice cover) No Change
*Phelan Acres
Time: 2025/12/22 15:25 UTC | Source: Trained spotter KK-04
Frozen Over (100% ice cover) No Change
Vermilion River...
*County Highway 23 Bridge, Oglesby
Time: 2025/12/22 13:10 UTC | Source: Trained spotter IL-02
Frozen Over (90% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Slowly
Illinois River...
*State Route 71 in Starved Rock State Park
Time: 2025/12/22 13:32 UTC | Source: Trained spotter IL-02
Frozen Over (80% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Slowly
Des Plaines River...
*Continental Bridge at Half Day And Daniel Wright
Time: 2025/12/22 13:52 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-28
Open (0% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Quickly
*Continental Bridge at Half Day And Daniel Wright
Time: 2025/12/22 14:01 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-28
Open (0% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Quickly
*Continental Bridge at Half Day And Daniel Wright
Time: 2025/12/22 14:03 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-28
Open (0% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Quickly
*Just Downstream of Continental Bridge at Half Day And Daniel Wright
Time: 2025/12/22 14:10 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-28
Open (0% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Quickly
*Just Downstream of Continental Bridge at Half Day And Daniel Wright
Time: 2025/12/22 14:13 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-28
Open (0% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Quickly
*Downstream of Forest Avenue, Riverside
Time: 2025/12/22 14:43 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-34
Open (0% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Slowly
*Ryerson Conservation Area
Time: 2025/12/22 14:46 UTC | Source: Trained spotter CH-02
Open (5% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Slowly
North Branch Chicago River...
*Prairie Wolf Forest Preserve
Time: 2025/12/22 14:28 UTC | Source: Trained spotter CH-02
Frozen Over (100% ice cover) No Change
Little Calumet River...
*Northcote Avenue Bridge, Munster
Time: 2025/12/22 14:35 UTC | Source: Trained spotter CL-01
Open (0% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Quickly
$$
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