Lake Ice Out Records for Selected Lakes

Ice out dates are being updated for lakes in Minnesota on the Lake Ice Out 2018 web page. 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. The gap was closed a bit due to some very warm conditions at the end of April and the beginning of May.

Ice Out Information for Selected Lakes

Lake              County            Earliest         Median     Latest          Ice out 2018
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pepin             Goodhue           February 29,2000 March 31   May 10, 1843    April 20, 2018
Clear             Waseca            March 6, 1987    April 3    April 27, 1951  April 29, 2018*
Nokomis           Hennepin          March 7, 2017    April 4    April 25, 1965  May 1, 2018*
Bde Maka Ska      Hennepin          March 7, 2017    April 9    April 28, 2013  May 1, 2018*
White Bear Lake   Ramsey/Wash.      March 16, 2016   April 13   May 4, 1950     May 4, 2018*
Bronson           Kittson           March 24, 2012   April 13   April 30, 2013  April 25, 2018
Minnetonka        Hennepin          March 11, 1878   April 13   May 5, 1857     May 5, 2018*
Otter Tail        Otter Tail        March 24, 2012   April 15   May 13, 2013    May 5, 2018
Minnewaska        Pope              March 21, 2016   April 15   May 11, 2013    April 29, 2018
Osakis            Todd              March 13, 1878   April 19   May 14, 1950    May 5, 2018
Gull              Cass              March 26, 2012   April 20   May 18, 1950    May 5, 2018
Itasca            Clearwater        March 26, 2012   April 22   May 18, 1950    April 30, 2018
Whitefish         Crow Wing         April 11, 2017   April 23   May 14, 2013    May 7, 2018
Mille Lacs        Mille Lacs        March 26, 2012   April 25   May 16, 2013    May 11, 2018
Pokegama          Itasca            March 27, 2012   April 25   May 17, 2013    May 8, 2018
Winnibigoshish    Cass              March 30, 2012   April 26   May 17, 2013    May 10, 2018
Bemidji           Beltrami          April 2, 2012    April 26   May 22, 1950    May 7, 2018
Leech             Cass              April 2, 2012    April 28   May 23, 1950    May 9, 2018
Vermillion        St. Louis         March 28, 2012   April 30   May 23, 1950    May 8, 2018
Lake of the Woods Lake of the Woods April 8, 2012    May 3      May 21, 2014    May 14, 2018
Rainy Lake        Koochiching       April 6, 2012    May 4      May 22, 1950    May 12, 2018
*New or Tied Record Late Ice Out
Last modified: June 7, 2018 with assistance from Owen Connolly, DNR Climatology Volunteer
For more information contact: [email protected]

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