Hudson River Unlikely to Fully Freeze Over Despite Frigid Temperatures

Experts say extended cold snap would be needed to solidify the river, which last happened over a century ago

Jan. 31, 2026 at 5:39pm

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Despite a prolonged cold snap in New York City, experts say it is highly unlikely the Hudson River will fully freeze over, as it has in the past. While ice has been accumulating in the river, especially in the shallower northern reaches, the volume of water in the southern mouth where the Hudson meets the Atlantic Ocean would require an extended period of freezing temperatures to solidify. The last time the Hudson froze solid was over a century ago, in 1918 and 1947, and climate change is reducing the extent and duration of river ice worldwide.

Why it matters

The freezing of the Hudson River was once a common occurrence that impacted transportation and commerce in New York City, but such events have become increasingly rare due to the effects of climate change. Understanding the conditions required for the river to fully freeze over provides insight into how the city's waterways are being transformed by a warming climate.

The details

The Hudson River starts freezing when its full depth chills to near 32 degrees, but the wide southern mouth where it meets New York Harbor has an immense volume of water that would require a very long period of cold weather to reach that freezing point. Additionally, the mixing of fresh water from the Hudson with salt water from the Atlantic Ocean makes it harder for the river to fully freeze, as salt water freezes at a lower temperature. The ice that has accumulated in recent weeks has mostly floated down from the river's northern reaches, where the fresh water freezes on the surface before being broken up by Coast Guard boats.

  • For about a week, temperatures in Manhattan have not risen above freezing.
  • The chill is expected to continue through at least early this week.

The players

Tamlin Pavelsky

A professor at the University of North Carolina who has studied river ice.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Logan Kaczmarek

A Coast Guard officer based in New York City at Battery Park.

Heather Gierloff

The Hudson River programs supervisor with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

Mike Duffy

A captain for Circle Line, which takes sightseers around Manhattan by boat.

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What they’re saying

“In order for the river to freeze over, enough ice needs to be forming that it starts to cohere along the banks and then across the whole river. Even a weeklong cold snap would usually not be long enough to make this happen.”

— Tamlin Pavelsky, Professor (sanluisobispo.com)

“We have large shelves of ice up near Albany, Poughkeepsie and West Point, but the river is not fully frozen over, and we're going to keep it that way.”

— Petty Officer 3rd Class Logan Kaczmarek, Coast Guard Officer (sanluisobispo.com)

“And salt freezes at a much lower temperature.”

— Heather Gierloff, Hudson River Programs Supervisor (sanluisobispo.com)

“Then the ice starts overlapping and welding itself together so it becomes thicker and thicker, it's piling on top of each other.”

— Mike Duffy, Boat Captain (sanluisobispo.com)

What’s next

Researchers will continue to monitor the extent and duration of ice formation on the Hudson River as a way to track the effects of climate change on the region's waterways.

The takeaway

While the Hudson River has fully frozen over in the past, the likelihood of that happening again in the modern era is diminishing due to the warming climate. This underscores the broader trend of declining river ice worldwide, which has significant implications for transportation, commerce, and the overall health of these vital waterways.