Ice-Out Clock helps you forecast when your favorite Minnesota lake will be ice-free
A new tool from the University of Minnesota Duluth offers Minnesotans an estimate of when their favorite lakes will shed their winter layers.
This year, Minnesota Sea Grant has added a feature to its Minnesota Lakes Ice-Out Clock allowing users to look up a forecast for specific lakes.
"We anticipate that seasonal businesses and outdoor enthusiasts will find value in our ice-out forecasting tool," Minnesota Sea Grant director and project leader John Downing said. "Because Minnesota's economy and well-being is deeply tied to its lakes, ice-out forecasting plays a major role in helping businesses maximize their sometimes short operating windows and helps people seeking outdoor recreation opportunities adapt to changing weather outcomes."
The program said the tool uses historical records and data from the National Weather Service and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to estimate when ice-out will occur on a given lake.
To obtain a forecast, users can go to the Ice-Out Clock website, select a county and then select a lake. They'll be given three forecasts based on seasonal snowfall levels: low, average and high. This can be estimated using data from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Forecasts will be available each year starting Jan. 1, so users can track the changing forecast throughout the season. The tool becomes more accurate as the season progresses.
Minnesota Sea Grant notes that the tool estimates when lakes will be free of ice, but it does not show when ice is safe.
"Ice conditions can and do change rapidly, and safety is the responsibility of each individual," the program said.
The program will host a free webinar on March 7 to discuss this year's ice-out forecast.
While ice-out may still be distant for many lakes, the DNR is urging those with a fish house on one of the state's frozen lakes to start making plans to remove it. For those in the lower two-thirds of the state, the deadline for removal is March 3, while those further north have until March 17.
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