Lake Minnetonka could tie over 100-year-old record for earliest ice out

Lake Minnetonka could tie earliest ice out record

On Monday, Lake Minnetonka could tie an over 100-year-old record for earliest ice out declaration. Currently the earliest ice out on Lake Minnetonka was on March 11, 1878.

MINNETONKA, Minn. (FOX 9) - After a record-breaking warm winter in Minnesota, Lake Minnetonka could tie the over 146-year-old record for the earliest ice out on the lake.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has declared ice out for many lakes across Minnesota, including White Bear Lake which declared ice out on March 8, the earliest on record since 1928.

The earliest ice out declaration for Lake Minnetonka was March 11, 1878, and if the DNR declares ice out for the lake Monday, it will tie that record. The latest time a lake was declared free of ice was May 5, 2018.

The warm winter has caused many Minnesota small businesses that rely on snow and cold weather to struggle. Governor Tim Walz is encouraging small businesses affected by the warm winter to apply for federal assistance in the form of economic injury disaster loans.

Click here to see the DNR’s list of Minnesota lakes that have been declared ice out.