Sheriff: SUV Breaks Through Lake Minnetonka Ice; Temps On The Rise
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Temperatures are expected to rise rapidly this weekend and with that, we're seeing more vehicles breaking through the ice.
On Wednesday, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office tweeted a picture of an SUV that broke through the ice in Lake Minnetonka – right next to a "Thin Ice" sign.
The driver is OK, but the plunge can be a pretty big hassle. The owner will have to wait 30 days to get the car back, and it will cost roughly $3,600 to get it out of the lake.
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office is reminding drivers to stay off Lake Minnetonka, and that the ice is not safe. Water Patrol Lt. Kent Vnuk says the ice had a shorter time to form during a mild December, and a weekend warm-up on the way means the ice simply won't be thick enough.
"This has definitely been the mildest winter we've had," Water Patrol Lieutenant Kent Vnuk said. "We measured it here yesterday. We had between 12 inches to 18 inches of ice by the end of the weekend I imagine we'll lose several inches of ice pretty easy1
Meanwhile, after a cool day in the high-30s Friday, temperatures are expected to hit a near-record level -- 50 degrees -- Saturday.
"Saturday is just gorgeous," meteorologist Matt Brickman said. "Partly to mostly sunny skies -- a lot of sunshine for us."
Temperatures cool down to the mid-30s Sunday, when a chance of rain/snow is expected.
Stick with WCCO.com for the latest in weather updates.