Date: 03/29/2017

Number: 1

Fountain Lake, Albert Lea, Minnesota


"Ice-out date is about 2 weeks later than the date last year of March 15

Wednesday will be recorded as the date the ice completely melted on Fountain Lake in 2017, according to Bill Malepsy, annual watcher of the lake.

Malepsy said the last of the ice melted at 3:15 p.m. on Dane Bay.

The ice-out date is about two weeks after last year’s ice-out date of March 15, which was the second earliest the ice had ever melted since 1912 when records were kept.

The recording of ice-out dates for Fountain Lake is the third oldest in the state, according to the State Climatology Office at the University of Minnesota.

The earliest the ice has ever melted was on March 7 in 2000.

The latest the ice melted was April 30, back in 1953. The ice has never lasted into May.

The ice on Albert Lea Lake melted March 25, according to records at Myre-Big Island State Park.

Records for that lake go back to 1991. The median ice-out date is March 31.

Malepsy said his son, Mark Malepsy, will take over the task as watcher of the lake next year. "

Albert Lea, MN

Latitude: 43.7 Longitude: -93.4

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