In sharp contrast with a winter-long trend of unusually warm weather, March temperatures finished significantly below normal. Temperatures across the state were four to nine degrees lower than historical averages. In a unique juxtaposition, the March mean temperature was colder than any of the preceding winter months in many communities. The first week of April continued the trend from March with below normal temperatures over Minnesota. By the second week of April temperatures had warmed up to above normal and ice was melting rapidly off lakes in central Minnesota. The weather by the end of the third week of April turned colder, but windy so the ice out line continued to moved north. The first week of May was cool, but the ice had left nearly all the lakes in Minnesota by May 9th.

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 a consistent record. The table below will depict the information obtained by this informal poll in the year 2002. The table is updated on Mondays.

Historical averages and extremes have been calculated for lakes in highlighted in green.

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URL: http://climate.umn.edu/doc/ice_out/ice_out_status_02.htm
Last modified: May 9, 2002