When's the right time to winterize your boat in the fall?  How much longer to wait before de-winterizing in the spring?  The following statistics from the National Climate Center provide a good idea of the probability of freezing temperatures in the Lake area.  (These statistics are taken from the Eldon area so the temperature moderating effects of the Lake of the Ozarks will actually make the dates a few days later in the fall and a few days earlier in the spring).

FALL

- There is a 10% chance of temperatures 32F or colder on  Oct 14.  By Oct 26 the probability has increased to 50% and by Nov 8 the probability is 90%.  

  Yeah sure but I'm not sweating temperatures just reaching 32F.  How about temperatures below 28F?

- There is a 10% chance of a hard freeze (temperatures below 28F) on Oct 22.  By Nov 5 the probability has increased to 50% and by Nov 20 the probability is 90%.

SPRING

- There is a 90% chance of a temperature of 32F or colder on Mar 30.  By Apr 13 the probability has decreased to 50% and by Apr 26 it is 10%.  By May 1 the probability has gone to  near zero.

Hey that's great, but I'm going to be OK with a temperature of 32F. How about the risk of a hard freeze in spring?

- There is a 90% chance of a hard freeze (temperature below 28F) on Mar 21.  By Apr 2 the probability has decreased to 50% and by April 15 it is down to 10%.  By May 1 the probability is gone to near zero.