(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s been on a weather roller-coaster lately, with wind chills of 40-below zero last week, followed by highs in the 60s this week. Despite the current warming trend, the experts say most Iowans should keep their kayaks and canoes in the shed for now. Todd Robertson, the river programs outreach coordinator for the Iowa D-N-R, says paddlers ought to wait for steady warmth to allow water temperatures to rise, and that could be mid-May — or longer.

“The problem is, we haven’t had enough of these warm, consistent days to heat up the water. This is going to take several weeks,” Robertson says. “So between now and then, it’s not that people can’t go paddling, it’s that you have to know your skill level. You have to be fully prepared for immersion. You have to wear the right gear. You have to know how to read a river.” That also means never paddling alone. He says water temperatures in most areas of Iowa are in the low to mid 40s right now.

“When the temperature of the water is 60 degrees or below, you are automatically at risk for hypothermia if you become wet,” Robertson says. “That’s a ways off before that water reaches a safe level. That’s why if I go out and paddle, I’m at least bare minimum wearing my full-body wet-suit or better yet, a dry suit, because I need that extra protection to buy me time to get out of the water.” Air temperatures have been all over the map lately, but large bodies of water take time to warm up, so it may be a month or two before it’s safe for lesser experienced paddlers to load up their boats.

“We may have this roller-coaster for a while,” Robertson says. “I would say, especially if you’re not experienced out on the water, just wait a little while. We’ve got plenty of time. It’s great weather to go ride your bike and then you can go paddle later, but we got to let that water heat up.” Cold water shock and hypothermia can set in quickly, Robertson says, if you fall into the water at current temperatures.

Whatever the weather, he recommends paddlers always wear a life jacket, let a friend or loved one know where you’re going and when you’ll be back, and bring a dry bag with extra clothing to change into should you get wet.