And this guide is especially pertinent for those areas of the country where freezing weather only visits sporadically. When frigid temps descend for a short time upon a location that's not used to seeing them, people, especially children, are apt to go out exploring their neighborhood ponds and reservoirs. As you can imagine, this creates a danger because the cold weather hasn't been around long enough to create ice strong enough to walk on. That very scenario has happened here in Tulsa this winter, where two young men, in separate accidents, both drowned when venturing out onto a thinly-frozen creek and pond. So be sure to share this guide with your kids after you study the info yourself.

While no ice is guaranteed to be safe to walk on, the general rule of thumb is that you shouldn't venture out onto clear ice that is less than 2 inches thick. An even safer bet is 4 inches. And if it's "snow ice" or white ice, it'll need to be double that to support you.