Minnesota
Lake ice-out moving north through central Minnesota this week
It’s a sign of the spring season in Minnesota. Ice-out is working it’s way north.
A winter’s worth of ice is finally giving way this week across much of central Minnesota. Many lakes in central Minnesota are reporting ice-out this week in mid-April.
Here are some select lakes that are reporting ice-out recently and how they compare to average. You can follow ice-out here.
-
North Long (Brainerd lakes area) April 14 (4 days early)
-
Split Hand (south of Grand Rapids) April 14 (6 days early)
-
Floyd (Detroit Lakes area) April 14 (10 days early)
-
Long (Detroit Lakes area) April 13 (6 days early)
-
Bay Lake (Deerwood area) April 10 ( 9 days early)
NOAA’s GOES-16 1 km resolution visible satellite images Tuesday show this week’s gusty northwest winds have pushed ice on Lake Mille Lacs to the eastern half of the lake.
GOES 16 visible satellite image on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. Note the open water on the west side of lake Mille Lacs with ice cover in the east side. Leech lake and the Red Lakes still contain a sheet of ice.
NOAA
Around the Twin Cities bellwether lakes like Minnetonka and White Bear were ice-free in late March about 2 weeks earlier than the long-term average.
Excelsior Bay on Lake Minnetonka Tuesday.
Bayside Marine webcam.
The MPCA and Minnesota DNR report lake ice duration across Minnesota has decreased by up to 17 days over the last 50 years. Over the last 100 years, it’s as much as 27 days.
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.