Ice-out on Minnesota lakes running 1-2 weeks late
Frigid April stalled ice-outs across central and northern Minnesota
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It’s April 27. Most lakes that dot central and northern Minnesota are still sporting a thick coat of ice.
A check of lake ice-out reports this week shows lake ice-out dates are running anywhere from one to more than two weeks behind the median date.
Most of the larger lakes north of Mille Lacs are still ice-choked.
Some smaller and midsized lakes in central Minnesota report ice-out dates as much as two weeks later than the median dates.
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For example, Platte Lake, just west of Lake Mille Lacs, reported an ice-out on April 24. That’s 15 days past the median ice-out date for the past 22 years of April 9.
Frigid April
You don’t need a weatherman to tell you this is one of the colder Aprils on record across Minnesota.
Temperatures this month are running 6.1 degrees colder than average through April 26 in the Twin Cities. It’s been 10 degrees colder than average this month in the Red River Valley in northwestern Minnesota.
Our relentless April wind is one factor that’s taken out the ice on some lakes.
With more rain and slightly milder temperatures on the way into next week. Expect the ice-out process to accelerate in the weeks ahead. But lakes in northeastern Minnesota may be sporting ice well into May this year.
