Minnesota's Lake Ice-Out Status - May 9, 2008

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 2008 information obtained from this informal poll. The table is updated as conditions warrant.

As of May 9, there was still slushy ice especially on the south ends of Winni, Leech and Cass. Somewhat more substantial ice remains in the middle of Bemidji, the south third of Lake of the Woods, and the larger sections of Rainy Lake. There is plenty of open water on lakes partially covered by ice to fish, but one should be mindful of the wind on lakes that still have ice. Most of the smaller bays on the bigger lakes are open. While this is the most ice since the 1996 fishing opener, there is less ice coverage than that year. For most northern lakes in 1996, the ice was leaving the lakes several days to a week later than this year. The lakes that have the most ice cover (95% or more) are Trout in St. Louis County, Gunflint Lake and Greenwood Lake in Cook County. It has been an odd season where one lake may be clear of ice, with another adjacent lake having signifigant ice remaining. With the main areas of ice detached from the shore the large chunks of ice will move with the wind so be advised of the weather forecast over the next few days.

Other lake ice-out resources:

Lake ice-out dates

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

Northwest

Name County Status
Bronson Kittson out 4-24
Cormorant Becker out 5-7
Detroit Becker out 5-5
Itasca Clearwater partial cover
Red (Lower) Beltrami partial cover
Red (Upper) Beltrami out 5-2
Sallie Becker out 5-1

North Central

Name County Status
Bemidji Beltrami partial cover
Kabetogama St. Louis out 5-9
L. of the Woods LOW partial cover
Leech Cass partial cover
Pokegama Itasca out 5-6
Rainy Kooch. partial cover
Woman Cass out 5-7
Winnibigoshish Cass/Itas. partial cover

Northeast

Name County Status
Bear Head St. Louis out 5-6
Caribou Cook out 5-7
Crane St. Louis out 5-5
Fall Lake out 5-7
Crescent Cook out
Devil Track Cook partial cover
Greenwood Cook ice covered
Gunflint Lake ice covered
Island St. Louis out 5-4
Moose lake out 5-7
Northern Light Lake Cook out 5-6
One, Two, Three and Four Lake all out 5-6
Pelican St. Louis out 5-7
Saganaga Cook ice covered
Sawbill Cook out 5-6
Seagull Cook partial cover
Shagawa St. Louis out 5-7
Side Lake St. Louis out 5-6
Snowbank Lake partial cover
Sturgeon St. Louis out 5-7
Trout St. Louis Ice covered
Vermilion St. Louis partial cover
Wolf Lake out 5-3

West Central

Name County Status
Artichoke Big Stone out 4-20
Big Stone Big Stone out 4-20
Blanche Otter Tail out 4-25
Minnewaska Pope out 4-24
Osakis Todd out 4-25
Otter Tail Otter Tail out 5-4
Traverse Traverse out 4-21
West Battle Otter Tail out 5-3

Central

Name County Status
Belle Lake Meeker out 4-22
Big Sand Lake Hubbard out 5-7
Carrie Lake Kandiyo. out 4-21
Cedar Lake Morrison out 4-30
Green Kandiyo. out 4-30
Gull Cass out 5-5
Little Sand Lake Hubbard out 5-5
Lower Bottle Lake Hubbard out 5-7
Pearl Stearns out 4-22
Pelican Crow Wing out 5-3
Portage Hubbard out 5-3
Big Waverly Wright out 4-21
Upper Bottle Lake Hubbard out 5-5

East Central

Name County Status
Big Sandy Aitkin out 4-26
Forest Washing. out 4-22
Gervias Ramsey out 4-21
Calhoun Hennepin out 4-21
Kohlman Ramsey out 4-18
Knife Kanabec out 4-23
Lake of the Isles Hennepin out 4-18
Medicine Hennepin out 4-21
Mille Lacs M. Lacs out 5-4
Minnetonka Hennepin out 4-23
Phalen Ramsey out 4-20
Rush Chisago out 4-24
South Center Chisago out 4-23
Waconia Carver out 4-22
White Bear Ramsey out 4-23

Southwest

Name County Status
Cottonwood Cottonwood out 4-15
Hendricks Lincoln out 4-17
Yankton Lyon out 4-14
Sarah Murray out 4-15
Shaokatan Lincoln out 4-16
Shetek Murray out 4-16

South Central

Name County Status
Albert Lea Freeborn out 4-15
Budd Martin out 4-15
Clear Waseca out 4-16
Fountain Freeborn out 4-16
Loon Waseca out 4-15
St Olaf Waseca out 4-16
St James Watonwan out 4-14
Sakatah Le Seuer out 4-17
Shields Rice out
Swan Nicollet out 4-15
Tetonka Le Sueur out 4-17

Southeast

Name County Status
Cannon Rice out 4-17
Pepin Wabasha out 4-15
Zumbro Olmsted out 4-10