Knowing how quickly ice forms can be life-saving in some cases, especially when it comes to wild nature waters, such as lakes or rivers. In this situation, the answer is determined by the basin's size, depth, and surrounding air temperature. Everyone knows that water freezes around 32 degrees Fahrenheit, but that doesn't guarantee the pond or lake surface will turn to solid ice once the air temperature hits that value! According to science, because water is excellent at retaining heat, the larger the lake/pond, the slower the water molecules will become ice. A vast lake, as a result, freezes after at least a week. Furthermore, we frequently witness those melted holes on the frozen surface of the basin as a result of this. According to scientific studies, an ice coating on the surface of such a basin generally grows one inch for every fifteen freezing degree days in a twenty-four-hour period.