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Updraft®
Paul Huttner

Ice-out moving north; 80s and humid next week

Next week will feel more like June across Minnesota.

NASA MODIS 250-meter visible satellite image Friday
NASA MODIS 250-meter visible satellite image across northern Minnesota Friday.
NASA via University of Wisconsin-Madison

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It’s finally happening.

Our sunnier, warmer spring weather is working on stubborn lake ice across northern Minnesota. Most of the big lakes are still hanging on to a weakening sheet of ice. But many smaller lakes are giving up their icy winter coat.

Here are some select lake ice-out reports from this week from the Minnesota DNR. Many of these lakes are running about 10 days later than the median ice-out date.

  • Mille Lacs: May 2 (Average date April 25.)

  • Irving Lake (Near Bemidji) May 4. (Average April 24.)

  • Garden Lake (East of Ely) May 6. (Average April 24.)

Garden Lake
Garden Lake near Ely reports ice-out on May 6.
Minnesota DNR

June-front next week

Ron Trenda did a nice job laying out the weekend forecast in his post today. So here’s a look ahead into next week.

A warm front blows in by Monday. It blows in an increasingly warm and humid air mass next week. Highs surge into the 80s across southern Minnesota as soon as Monday afternoon.

Forecast high temperatures Monday
Forecast high temperatures Monday.
NOAA

We catch a bit of a break Tuesday with highs back into the 70s. But 80s return Wednesday and Thursday next week.

Forecast high temperatures Wednesday
Forecast high temperatures Wednesday.
NOAA

Next week’s inbound air mass originated over the Gulf of Mexico. That means tropical humidity levels will surge north next week. The European model is cranking out dew points approaching 70 degrees by next Wednesday and Thursday.

European model (ECMWF) dew point forecast
European model (ECMWF) dew point forecast for Thursday, May 12.
ECMWF via pivotal weather

I was hoping to have the windows open for comfy breezes for several weeks this spring. But it looks like we’re going from heat to AC in just a few days in the next week.

It does look like more pleasant, cooler, and less humid, spring air could return starting the weekend of May 14-15.

Stay tuned.