We're expecting a snowstorm later today, and the ice isn't bearing weight yet. I can shovel the edges from the outside, but what do I do about the inside? Is leaving that snow there going to trash the ice? Or does the fact that we haven't finished flooding it yet mean that we don't have to worry too much about the surface underneath it? (I take it that we do want to get that snow cleared off, though, before the next stage of flooding, or we'll get slushy ice that won't freeze well -- correct?)

With bad temps here in OH, this has happened to me twice. I've found that throwing buckets of warm water (about eight 5-gallon buckets for my 24x40) has melted the snow and given us a good surface to skate on. What about dragging the snow off with a hose? Lay the hose (no water) around one end of the rink in a horseshoe shape and pull the snow off?