Join Itasca Waters and Minnesota Sea Grant in hearing the Minnesota Lakes Thaw forecast as part of the Practical Water Wisdom webinar series, co-sponsored by MNSG.
John Downing of Minnesota Sea Grant will present his 2026 lake thaw forecasts and show you how you can win your ice-out pool for your favorite lake. Sea Grant’s Minnesota Lakes Thaw Tracker yielded accurate ice-out forecasts for 2024 and 2025. This year, the models have been improved and now give forecasts for any lake you choose. The new models consider snow, latitude, how big the lake is, cumulative cold, and cumulative thawing.
Speakers
- John A. Downing, Minnesota Sea Grant Director
Date
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Time
Noon to 1:00 p.m. CT
Registration
Registration is required to attend this free virtual event.
Event sponsors
Practical Water Wisdom: A Virtual Learning Series is presented by Itasca Waters with support from:
- Minnesota Sea Grant
- Itasca Soil and Water Conservation District
- Itasca Coalition of Lake Associations
- KAXE/KBXE
- Rapids Radio
- Grand Rapids Herald Review
Contact
John A. Downing, director, Minnesota Sea Grant.
Image credit: A. Shie/MNSG.