Winter heat wave closes Stillwater Ice Castles for at least 2 days

Young girls race down the ice slide.
Eight-year-old Lexi Raleigh, left, and 9-year-old Nora Tweed race down the ice slide in the Ice Castles in Stillwater on Jan. 6.
Evan Frost | MPR News file

The latest victim of uncharacteristically warm weather: the Stillwater Ice Castles.

Icy walking surfaces turn to slush when it's warm, so the Ice Castles will be closed Thursday and Friday. It's likely they'll stay shut through the weekend — and possibly into next week, organizers said Wednesday.

"Why can't Mother Nature be a little more consistent?" asks the press release from the Ice Castles.

Well, January thaws — a spike in temps lasting a few days in the latter half of the month — are normal in Minnesota.

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.

Plus there's that little elephant in the room called global warming.

On the same day the Ice Castles had to close, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its annual climate report.

The report's conclusion: We've had three years in a row of record-breaking heat.

Once it's cold again, a "team of ice artisans" will get the attraction ready again.

People who already purchased Ice Castles tickets for times it will be closed can contact info@icecastles.com to reschedule.