WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - It has definitely been feeling like January this week with temperatures down below freezing. Ice has even formed on the Connecticut River and on area lakes and ponds. Before you go out on that ice it's important to know how thick it is. Always remember to keep off ice that is 2 inches or less thick. You can ice fish when the ice is at least 4 inches thick. Ice 5 to 6 inches thick will support snowmobiles and ATVs, 8 to 12 inches of ice will hold cars and small trucks. And the ice needs to be 12 to 15 inches thick to support medium-sized trucks. Light snow in Massachusetts moves in Saturday At the "Res" in West Springfield they check the thickness of the ice. "It freezes, it's frozen now, it's safe to skate. You know not the whole thing is safe to skate, just avoid where we have the yellow tape and the barrels and everything, " said West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt. The West Springfield Park and Recreation Department drills holes in the ice and measures the thickness twice a day. Right now the ice is between 5 and 6 inches thick and is safe for skating. On all bodies of water, currents can create holes in the ice and that can make ice thickness unpredictable. Because of these factors, ice can never be considered completely safe.Here is a link to find out if the ice is considered safe on the "Res" in West Springfield. Local News Headlines Respiratory illnesses are on the rise in Massachusetts this winter Sarno, Puppolo push for bail reform to keep violent repeat offenders in jail Drugs, gun seized during Holyoke investigation Cold temperatures cause ice to form on rivers and ponds WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.