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May Weather & Hope

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 10:48 pm
by hooky
The boy and I are talking about going to the island in May to celebrate his 21st birthday. His spring semester is done on 5/12. Depending on what classes he takes over the summer, he may start as early as the week of the 22nd or as late as the first week in June. If he's got the early slate, that means a trip the week of the 15th. We went the last week of May in '12 and it turned out great. The weather pattern seems similar. With El Nino influencing things this year, I hope hope this warm winter translates into an early ice out on the island.

Anyone want to pontificate or just take a wild guess on what this springs weather will bring?

Re: May Weather & Hope

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 9:49 am
by head2north
I remember 2010 Spring thaw was a "cabin fever" buster - the lakes in Northern Minnesota (BWCA) were ice free in early April. Ever Since, I cling on to the hope
of another similar spring. I don't recall an El nino pattern being the cause, just a freak year. So this year with the El nino, I have already made a tentative plan to
fish the BWCA border lakes (Canada) for walleye (2015-16 walleye season closes April 15 on border lakes) in mid April.

A daydream indulgence I know, but that's what we do up here in the North. I can only handle 2 or 3 weekend winter camping trips before I wish for spring.

Re: May Weather & Hope

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 10:37 am
by head2north
This website provides the closest data in the region. I suppose one could identify a similar lake and pattern within this data that correlates to an Isle Royale Lake and go from
there.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ice_out/index.html

Re: May Weather & Hope

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 11:55 am
by hooky
Thanks for the link. I think I'm going to try to head up and do the Frost River Loop sometime around Labor Day. I'm hoping it won't be an early winter and be snowing in September. I may be in for a rude awakening on each end of summer.

It's been a slow march for winter to get here. It was in the 60's over Christmas with tornado flood warnings lasting until the following week. There isn't ice anywhere in the state on the lakes. it's 41 here as a I type this.

Re: May Weather & Hope

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2016 11:42 am
by Tom
head2north wrote:I remember 2010 Spring thaw was a "cabin fever" buster - the lakes in Northern Minnesota (BWCA) were ice free in early April. Ever Since, I cling on to the hope
of another similar spring.
Ha! I remember that year. I road out on the first boat (along with MikeT, BucketBob, and a few others, if memory serves)

We got caught in a blizzard (complete with jack-knifed semis) in Duluth on the drive up. We FROZE that week; highs in the 40s, lows in the 20s. :shock:

However, the following week was back to perfectly average, just going to show you that weather and climate are two different things...

I will put in a wild prognostication that IR lakes will be open, we likely won't see snow on the Isle around the first boat, and that the harbors will be free of ice when it's time for the first run. That's my guess. (Or perhaps, hope.)