Minnesota's Lake Ice-Out Status - April 14, 2010

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 2010 information obtained from this informal poll. The table is updated as conditions warrant.

Spring 2010 will be remembered as the year the ice left lakes in northern Minnesota at a rapid pace, and in some places, the earliest ice out dates recorded. A nearly snowless March, coupled with temperatures around ten degrees above normal, provided the ingredients to thaw lakes rapidly.

Update 4/9. Cooler nighttime temperatures slowed ice out on the remaining lakes in northern Minnesota. As of Friday, April 9th, lakes such as Gunflint, Saganaga, Brule, Devil Track and Greenwood in Cook County are about 80% iced. There is just a little ice remaining in select bays in Basswood Lake, Snowbank is about 30% iced. East and West Pike lake in Lake County is about 75% covered with ice. Farther to the west some ice remains in the larger sections of Rainy Lake and substantial ice persists on Lake of the Woods.

Update 4/14. All lakes in Minnesota are free of ice. Greenwood Lake was the last lake to lose its ice on April 14. 

New ice out records for lakes with more than 40 years of record.
 
Lake      County      New       Previous     Years 
                      Record    Record       of Data
---------------------------------------------------
Bemidji   Beltrami    4-6-2010  4-11-1975,00  73              
Fall      St. Louis   4-2-2010  4-10-1945     60
Itasca    Clearwater  4-3-2010  4-9-1981      69
Leech     Cass        4-6-2010  4-9-1945      75 
Shagawa   St. Louis   4-3-2010  4-14-1998     45
Vermilion St. Louis   4-6-2010  4-10-1945     91 
Rainy     Koochiching 4-10-2010 4-13-1998     80

Other lake ice-out resources:

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

Northwest

Name County Status
Bronson Kittson out 4-3
Cormorant Becker out 4-2
Detroit Becker out 4-2
Elk Clearwater out 4-2
Itasca Clearwater out 4-3
Red (Lower) Beltrami out 4-8
Red (Upper) Beltrami out 4-6
Sallie Becker out 4-2
South Twin Mahnomen out 4-1

North Central

Name County Status
Bemidji Beltrami out 4-6
Kabetogama St. Louis out 4-4
L. of the Woods LOW out 4-13
Leech Cass out 4-6
Pokegama Itasca out 4-4
Rainy Kooch. out 4-10
Ten Mile Cass out 4-6
Winnibigoshish Cass/Itas. out 4-3

Northeast

Name County Status
Basswood Lake April 10
Bear Head St. Louis out 3-31
Brule Cook out 4-12
Burntside St. Louis out 4-3
Fall Lake out 4-2
Devil Track Cook out 4-10
East Bearskin Lake Cook out 4-6
Echo St. Louis out 3-31
Elephant St. Louis out 4-2
Greenwood Cook out 4-14
Gunflint Lake out 4-10
Island St. Louis out 4-6
Lax Lake out
Mountain Cook out 4-13
Northern Light Cook out 4-4
Pelican St. Louis out 4-2
Pine Cook out 4-13
Saganaga Cook out 4-10
Sawbill Cook out 4-6
Seagull Cook out 4-7
Shagawa St. Louis out 4-3
Side Lake St. Louis out 4-2
Snowbank Lake out 4-10
Sturgeon St. Louis out 4-3
Tait Cook out 4-4
Trout Cook out 4-13
Vermilion St. Louis out 4-6
White Iron St. Louis out 4-1
Wolf Lake out 4-8

West Central

Name County Status
Artichoke Big Stone out 4-3
Big Stone Big Stone out 4-3
Blanche Otter Tail out 4-1
Carlos Douglas out 4-2
Minnewaska Pope out 4-2
Osakis Todd out 4-1
Otter Tail Otter Tail out 4-2
Swan Lake Otter Tail out 4-1
Traverse Traverse out 4-2
West Battle Otter Tail out 4-2

Central

Name County Status
Belle Lake Meeker out 3-30
Carrie Lake Kandiyo. out 4-1
Cedar Lake Morrison out 4-1
Edward Crow Wing out 4-2
Green Kandiyo. out 4-2
Gull Cass out 4-5
North Long Crow Wing out 4-1
Pearl Stearns out 3-31
Pelican Crow Wing out 4-2
Pelican Stearns out 3-31
Portage Hubbard out 4-1
Red Sand Crow Wing out 3-30

East Central

Name County Status
Big Sandy Aitkin out 4-2
Bald Eagle Ramsey out 3-31
Bear Aitkin out 3-30
Forest #3 Washing. out 3-30
Gervias Ramsey out 3-30
Calhoun Hennepin out 3-31
Harriet Hennepin out 3-31
Hill Aitkin out 3-31
Kohlman Ramsey out 3-28
Knife Kanabec out 3-31
Lake of the Isles Hennepin out 3-30
Medicine Hennepin out 3-31
Mille Lacs M. Lacs out 4-5
Minnetonka Hennepin out 4-2
Peltier Anoka out 3-30
Phalen Ramsey out 3-30
Rush Chisago out 3-31
South Center Chisago out 4-1
Waconia Carver out 4-2
Weaver Hennepin out 4-2
White Bear Ramsey out 4-1

Southwest

Name County Status
Sarah Murray out 3-30
Shaokatan Lincoln out 4-1
Shetek Murray out 4-1

South Central

Name County Status
Albert Lea Freeborn out 3-31
Budd Martin out 3-31
Clear Waseca out 3-31
Fountain Freeborn out 3-31
Loon Waseca out 3-30
Madison Blue Earth out 3-31
St Olaf Waseca out 3-31
St James Watonwan out 3-30
Sakatah Le Seuer out 3-31
Shields Rice out
Swan Nicollet out 3-30
Tetonka Le Sueur out 3-31

Southeast

Name County Status
Cannon Rice out 3-29
Pepin Wabasha out 3-24
Zumbro Olmsted out 3-29