Minnesota's Lake Ice-Out Status
(as of April 27, 1998)
Each Monday, the State Climatology Office polled observers around Minnesota for
information regarding lake ice conditions.
The definition of lake ice-out varies from lake to lake and individual to individual.
For some, ice-out occurs only when the lake is completely free of ice. For others,
ice-out is defined as the moment when navigation is possible from point A to point
B. And yet for others, ice-out is when 90 percent of the lake is ice free. Due to the
variable definitions of this rather subjective observation, the State Climatology Office
attempts to contact the same individuals each year to maintain consistency. The table
below will offer the information obtained by this informal poll.
All of Minnesota's lakes are now free of ice. Lake ice-out was
approximately two weeks ahead of the historical averages,
and in some cases, nearly the earliest on record.
Northwest
| Name |
County |
Status |
| Bronson |
Kittson |
out - 4/10 |
| Detroit |
Becker |
out - 4/10 |
| Cormorant |
Becker |
out - 4/12 |
| L.o.t. Woods |
L.o.t. Woods |
out - 4/16 |
|
North Central
| Name |
County |
Status |
| Pokegama |
Itasca |
out - 4/11 |
| Bemidji |
Beltrami |
out - 4/13 |
| Leech |
Cass |
out - 4/13 |
| Rainy |
Kooch. |
out - 4/13 |
|
Northeast
| Name |
County |
Status |
| Saganaga |
Lake |
out |
| Fall |
Lake |
out |
| Vermilion |
St. Louis |
out - 4/13 |
| Island |
St. Louis |
out - 4/13 |
|
West Central
| Name |
County |
Status |
| Minnewaska |
Pope |
out - 4/6 |
| West Battle |
Ottertail |
out - 4/10 |
| Ottertail |
Ottertail |
out - 4/10 |
| Big Stone |
Big Stone |
out - 4/11 |
|
Central
| Name |
County |
Status |
| Green |
Kandiyohi |
out - 4/7 |
| Osakis |
Todd |
out - 4/7 |
| Gull |
Cass |
out - 4/7 |
| |
|
|
|
East Central
| Name |
County |
Status |
| Minnetonka |
Hennepin |
out - 4/3 |
| White Bear |
Ramsey |
out - 4/3 |
| Big Sandy |
Aitkin |
out - 4/7 |
| Mille Lacs |
Mille Lacs |
out - 4/12 |
|
Southwest
| Name |
County |
Status |
Sarah |
Murray |
out - 3/30 |
| Shetek |
Murray |
out - 4/6 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
South Central
| Name |
County |
Status |
| Budd |
Martin |
out - 3/31 |
| Clear |
Waseca |
out - 3/27 |
| Sakatah |
Le Seuer |
out - 3/27 |
| Albert Lea |
Freeborn |
out - 3/27 |
|
Southeast
| Name |
County |
Status |
| Pepin |
Wabasha |
out - 3/25 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Return to the Lake Ice Out Page
mcwg@soils.umn.edu
URL: http://climate.umn.edu/doc/journal/ice_out_status_98.html
Last modified: April 27, 1998