There are no projected dates right now for the opening of the Dettah Ice Road even as the Yellowknife and North Slave region has been experiencing extreme cold weather this month.

The GNWT Department of Infrastructure ice road crews will begin measuring the ice thickness in various locations this week before having an idea on the date of it being opened, stated department spokesperson Greg Hanna.

"We do not have a projected opening date, as crews have yet to begin measuring ice thickness," Hanna stated in an email on Tuesday.

According to the department's statistics, the of it opening, however, has been Dec. 23 - less than a week from today. The average date of the road closing has been April 28.

Last winter season, the road did not open until the Jan. 5 and was closed on April 11.

The department has also stated in a Tweet last week that for the last four years, the road has not opened until the new year.

The minimum requirement for the ice for driving is 34 and 36 cm thick before the route can be opened to the public.

The department also stated that a number of factors can determine whether the route will open early or not which include weather conditions, the amount of snow on top of the ice and the ice thickness.

The department will continue to update residents on the ice road's opening through its website and twitter feed.

File information: Opening and closing dates for Dettah Ice Road

2017/2018: Jan. 11 to April 11
2016/2017: Jan. 6 to April 7
2015/2016: Jan. 2 to April 18
2014/2015: Dec. 19 to April 12
2013/2014: Dec. 13 to April 21

Source: The GNWT Department of Infrastructure