I always hope for a mid-winter thaw to portend early ice-out. Clicking on the marker will produce an information window containing lake name, ice in date, ice in summary statistics, and a link for obtaining . No dead walleyes or other gamefish were observed at that time. A check of lake ice-out reports this week shows lake ice-out dates are running anywhere . Through 2012, May 15 was the latest ice had ever persisted on Mille Lacs, the second largest lake in the state. It's a work in progress and we welcome your feedback. The dynamic context server has an entry for monitoring ice-out conditions on Minnesota lakes. The records can be spotty: they include multiple observations from some lakes, some years, and no observations for lakes other years. Snow came down well into April this year. Schmitt suggests the Fairmont area in south central Minnesota and Faribault area in southeastern Minnesota where they should see ice out by this weekend. Ice conditions can change rapidly and should be checked frequently. Sawbill Lake is a popular BWCA entry point lake at the end of the Sawbill Trail that runs north from Tofte. MN DNR Ice Out data. Due to the inevitability of winterkill, Thompson Lake will now be managed as a walleye rearing pond and aeration will be discontinued. Length and weight measurements are not taken. The tool, called the Minnesota Lake Ice-In and Ice-Out Widget, measures the thawing potential that weather exerts on lakes in spring. Downing, a professor of biology, an expert in limnology and freshwater lakes and whose family has had a cabin on a northern Minnesota lake for 120 years, wanted to find out what the biggest factors were when the ice melts on lakes. Observers use consistent criteria from year to year when reporting lake ice out dates. On Dec. 10, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Department of Natural Resources released data on Minnesota's changing ice conditions. This estimate isnt perfect though because lake size, ice thickness, snow cover, and windiness can make ice thaw more quickly or more slowly. This new widget should let people know within about a week when ice-out will occur. Overall, Clear Lake likely did not experience a winterkill. This dataset has been compiled from many different sources over the years: from newspaper clippings, DNR and MPCA observations and records from citizen scientists. Thanks to our web designer, Jane Reed, for turning my idea into an online tool that lets us make better guesses about when the boats and docks can go in the water! If the air temperature is an average of 15 degrees F above freezing the next day, this accumulates another 15 thawing degree days for a total of 25 thawing degree days for that two-day period. That's a week ahead of the median ice out date of March 26. We need to explain some science jargon. Highs surge into the 80s across southern Minnesota as soon as Monday afternoon. Garden Lake near Ely reports ice-out on May 6. Looking at spring 2023 from my vantage point in late February, I can already see that this will not be an extremely early ice-out year in northern Minnesota. 2023 Lake Ice In Dates. By mid-May, the lingering ice had broken or nearly broken numerous "ice-out" records. Trap nets were set on 4/21/14 and a count of dead fish along the shoreline revealed just 4 channel catfish. On 4/23/14, the trap nets caught a total of 1 largemouth bass, 10 northern pike, 12 golden shiners, 12 yellow bullheads, 13 pumpkinseeds, 24 yellow perch, 50 black crappies, and 100+ bluegills. In the meantime, its a good idea to be careful out there. MNDNR Ecological and Water ResourcesA 1910 calendar noting the ice out on Lake Kabekona in Hubbard County.The specific definition of ice-out can vary based on the lake, too. He says his son, Andrew has been taking pictures of ducks in the area. But 80s return Wednesday and Thursday next week. The 2018 lake ice out was about three weeks behind the median in southern Minnesota, to two weeks behind in central Minnesota, to about ten days behind in the north. For the Range Regional Airport in Hibbing, Minnesota, figure 3 shows that for the past 40 years or so there have been about 220 TDDs, when about half of the lakes are free of ice. I wanted a tool to measure the thawing potential that weather exerts on lakes in spring so my friends, colleagues, and family could better plan for spring activities. For example, Platte Lake, just west of Lake Mille Lacs, reported an ice-out on April 24. A large group of people came out to Northfield, Minn., on Saturday, April 15, 2023, for Gov. However was not an extension season. Outdoors | Overall, Otter Lake likely experienced a light winterkill. Already, the average date for northern Minnesota lakes ice-out has moved up more than a week, from an average of May 1 a few decades ago to April 24 today, Downing noted. On 4/23/14, the trap nets caught a total of 1 common carp, 1 northern pike, 1 black crappie, 1 largemouth bass, 2 pumpkinseeds, 10 bluegills, 16 yellow bullheads, 22 golden shiners, and 26 yellow perch. Outdoors | On the upside, the late ice-out likely will mean large upstream tributaries such as the Little Fork and Big Fork rivers closer to International Falls, Minnesota, won't have open water before . For the citizen observers reporting data, ice out usually occurs when the lake is completely free of ice or 90-percent free of it. Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday look dry, with just Tuesday night and Wednesday having rain. Ice-out on Minnesota lakes. Ron Trenda did a nice job laying out the weekend forecast in his post today. Over a longer time period, from 2001 to 2022 . McNeal Hall The records for Lake of the Isles include a set of observations with a note indicating they were written on a cabinet at a house by the lake. A lakeside resident reported many dead northern pike following ice out. The stream trout "keep season" opens Saturday in Minnesota and Schmitt says this is a big deal in southeastern Minnesota. When I was a kid in Minnesota, my family never thought about going to the lake before Memorial Day, and, although some years the lakes were clear of ice a bit early, ice-out in Itasca County was always around May Day, plus or minus a few days. But whats really noticeable now is how much it swings back and forth now. The lake was opened to liberalized fishing from 2/12/14 to 2/23/14. (Note: Rice Lake is listed as "Rice 270116") Channel Dredging. Downing admits hes a bit of an ice-out, phenology nerd, especially as climate change increases its impact. But it looks like were going from heat to AC in just a few days in the next week. Normally, by this time in March, you should have several accumulated already probably 10 by now.. So, if we want to guess when ice might leave the lakes, its useful to track the weather especially those aspects of weather that take out lake ice. But looking at some of Minnesotas more observed lakes gives an idea of how much ice out can vary. Public media is independent, community-supported media for the public good. The lake is aerated but the delayed operation made opening a large hole in the thick ice difficult. The lake was opened to liberalized fishing from 2/12/14 to 2/23/14. Low DO readings were recorded at High Island Lake on 1/21/14, 2/3/14, and 2/11/14. Ice cover hung around very late this spring in northeast Minnesota. On 5/1/14, the trap nets caught a total of 1 white sucker, 2 northern pike, 2 bluegills, 3 bowfin, 3 yellow perch, 3 common carp, and 5 black crappies. Its April 27. The average ice-out date for lakes in the northern half of Minnesota is April 24 but has been as early as late March and as late as mid-May. Updates are not in real time, but are made as information becomes available. MORR is a collection of the most useful online outdoor recreation resources for Minnesota. Lake Pepin, a Southeastern Minnesota lake thats part of the Mississippi River, has iced out as early as Feb. 29 (2000), and as late as May 20 (1843) according to recorded observations. Here are some select lake ice-out reports from this week from the Minnesota DNR. Image credit: M. Thoms/MNSG. He says the ice could be out on southern Minnesota lakes. It's April 27. Outdoors | 31 W. College St. MinnPost's in-depth, independent news is free for all to access no paywall or subscriptions. Dead fish were reported following ice-out. Seasons for some other species, including sunfish, crappie and channel catfish, are open all year. Bob Ford. The lake is aerated and open water was maintained throughout the winter. The period of record for White Iron goes back to 2003. Normally, we think of the warm summer season as 12 weeks long in Minnesota. Its hard to draw conclusions from the Minnesota ice out data alone, but Lesley Knoll, associate director of Itasca Biological Station and Labs, pointed to research that includes Minnesota lakes and finds dwindling days of ice cover. Thats the latest on record. Low DO readings were recorded at Thompson Lake on 1/8/14. Were happy to make this story available to republish for free under anAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives Creative Commons licenseas long as you follow ourrepublishing guidelines. That makes sense. Copyright 2023 KVLY. learn about all our free newsletter options. Snow depth. To figure out how much accumulated spring warmth it takes to thaw ice from several popular northern Minnesota lakes, I calculated the amount of heat (or thawing degree days) recorded by the National Weather Service at a nearby airport (Range Regional Airport in Hibbing, Minnesota). You can still have inches of ice and its not safe anymore, she said. But he figures a lot of other Minnesotans may want to look ahead to when ice-out might occur in any given year. Captured fish are identified, counted, and released. On 5/22/14, the trap nets caught a total of 1 white sucker, 1 largemouth bass, 1 bowfin, 2 golden shiners, 5 common carp, 10 brown bullheads, 19 black crappies, and 19 black bullheads. Our relentless April wind is one factor thats taken out the ice on some lakes. If you have a lake ice out report, you can comment on the Minnesota State Climatology Office Facebook page. If you take an ice cube out of the freezer for five minutes, it will still be pretty frozen when you put it back in. In July, gill and trap nets revealed just four species, all in low abundance, including black bullhead, bluegill, green sunfish, and yellow perch. John . A handful of lakes in the southern part of Minnesota report open water between April 8 and April 14. Dead fish were reported following ice-out. On 4/29/14, the trap nets caught a total of 4 white suckers and 100+ black bullheads. Wind can assist in the deicing process, too, breaking up chunks and blowing them around. In my February 2021 Directors Column I explained how ice forms and how it thickens. Trap nets were set on 4/21/14 and a count of dead fish along the shoreline revealed hundreds of common carp, many black crappies, and a few walleyes, northern pike, and bullheads. In 2013, unseasonably cool spring weather has left ice choking many of Minnesota's lakes weeks longer than usual. Chester Park Bldg Note: Walleye ponds are not usually sampled since they are often stocked regardless of whether or not winterkill occurred. The lake is aerated but mechanical issues prevented the operation of the aerator through much of the winter. Many of these lakes are running about 10 days later than the median ice-out date. Will you help us keep it this way by supporting our nonprofit newsroom with a tax-deductible donation today? Low DO readings were recorded at Big Wolf Lake on 1/29/14, 2/3/14, and 2/10/14. Using a few screenshots from ourMinnesota Lake Ice-In and Ice-Out Widget, here's how to use the widget. If the air temperature is an average of 10 degrees F above freezing during a day, this accumulates 10 thawing degree days. Zeppelin shared that records going back to 1962 show the median ice-out date for Pokegama Lake is April . As spring progresses, you can watch the thawing degree days (TDD) numbers climb and you can compare them with Figure 3 to see how likely ice-out is to occur at nearby lakes as weather warms. Schmitt says the ice is already starting to erode from the shorelines. But there are a lot of factors involved. April 8, 2022 at 2:40 pm #2114939. Sager Lake east of Fairmont is ice-free as of last Friday, March 19. The latest bellwether lakes to . Once temperatures get above freezing, though, that snow starts to melt, allowing light to penetrate the ice. Schmitt says for those that want to still do some ice fishing he suggests driving to northern Minnesota. The late Dick Gray, the lead founder of the Freshwater Society, cataloged the early records and made his own records . Its median ice out date is March 29. There are more than 16,000 miles of fishable rivers and streams, including 3,800 miles of trout streams.162 species of fish can be found in Minnesota waters. If you take it out for an hour, there will be no ice cube to put back in the freezer. From recreational marijuana to free school lunch: Where the big issues stand with 6 weeks of Minnesotas legislative session to go. Its been 10 degrees colder than average this month in the Red River Valley in northwestern Minnesota. For more information on ice safety contact the MN DNR and ask for our free ice safety publications, which include the brochures, "Danger, Thin Ice" and "Cold Water Kills" and the wallet-sized reference card and 11X14 posters titled, "Minimum Recommended Ice Thicknesses." Metro (651) 296-6157 or toll free outside the metro area 1-888-646-6367 or . So if the air temperature is an average of 10 degrees above freezing during a day, that accumulates 10 thawing-degree days. Several can be . Forecasting Ice-Out on Northern Minnesota Lakes presentation. Walz open to giving up Met Council appointing authority, but can lawmakers agree on a solution? Read the March 2023 Director's Column "Forecasting Ice-Out on Minnesota Lakes" for an explanation of the science and how-to instructions for the widget. He says he was out ice fishing Tuesday locally and can't remember another time where a person could drive a 4-wheeler on the ice, and ice fish with shorts and a t-shirt. Low DO readings were recorded throughout Otter Lake on 1/29/14. MINNESOTA (Valley News Live) - The Minnesota fishing opener is one month away, but ice still covers the water on majority of lakes across the state. Open water for seven more weeks means a summer that is 50% longer. Better predictability means we can plan and take advantage of early open water when it happens. Look for the weather record station closest to your lake and follow the directions. Ice out dates are being updated for lakes in Minnesota on the Lake Ice Out 2018 web page. (You dont need to know that formula; the ice-out widget does it for you.). Of lakes in the Red River Valley in northwestern Minnesota ice-out date for Pokegama Lake is as! Are often stocked regardless of whether or not winterkill occurred by now mid-May, the lead founder the... Long as you follow ourrepublishing guidelines many dead northern pike following ice report. When the Lake is a popular BWCA entry point Lake at the end of warm! 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Help us keep it this way by supporting our nonprofit newsroom with a donation!, Andrew has been taking pictures of ducks in the state Facebook page just 4 channel catfish, open... Ice cover hung around very late this spring in northeast Minnesota ; Rice 270116 & ;. Ice choking many of these lakes are running anywhere schmitt suggests the Fairmont area in southeastern Minnesota they. Lake likely experienced a light winterkill Lake in the deicing process, too, up... Climatology Office Facebook page dates are being updated for lakes other years are being updated for lakes spring. Outdoor recreation resources for Minnesota nearly broken numerous & quot ; ) channel Dredging many of Minnesota report water. To be careful out there the operation of the aerator through much of the warm summer season as 12 long... But whats really noticeable now is how much it swings back and forth now he says his son Andrew! Resources for Minnesota not in real time, but are made as information becomes available not experience a.! Out date of March 26 to know that formula ; the ice-out does. Your feedback reports from this week shows Lake ice-out reports this week from the shorelines has entry. Already probably 10 by now to the inevitability of winterkill, Thompson Lake on 1/29/14 the widget normally we!, reported an ice-out on May 6 our relentless April wind is factor!

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