Despite Early 'Ice-Out,' Twin Cities Lakes Remain Dangerously Cold
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office says this year's minimal snowfall and mild winter made the "ice-out" come earlier this year, but they say the water is still dangerously cold.
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The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office says this year's minimal snowfall and mild winter made the "ice-out" come earlier this year, but they say the water is still dangerously cold.
Brush fires over the last two days have shown just how dry it is around Minnesota. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 90 percent of the state is under a moderate drought.
Great theater can be created anywhere. But something special happens when a theater house not only mirrors the feeling created by the show, but enhances it as well. This is exactly what happened with the rustic, warm Old Log Theatre's production of the silly, slap-stick comedy "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels."
Steamboats, like the Minnehaha that strolls along Lake Minnetonka, first departed on the beautiful lake back in 1906. They were an extension of the street car system here in the Twin Cities.
Our unseasonable March warmth is a cause for many Minnesotans to revel, but a serious cause for concern for the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office when it comes to ice safety.
A Wayzata man is back home after escaping the icy waters of Lake Minnetonka.
I have to admit, as a child of the eastern suburbs, I never ventured west of Minneapolis much, if at all, growing up. And now, as a member of the millennial generation, I spend a lot of time exploring the craft breweries of Northeast and the themed restaurants of downtown.
A 35-year-old man was rescued Wednesday night after going through the ice on Lake Minnetonka. According to police, crews responded to the call around 8:30 p.m. of a truck through the ice on Lafayette Bay.
There has been an outpouring of support for the family of a man who died recently while playing in a pond hockey tournament. Greg Riebe suffered a heart attack at 46. He collapsed after a game at the North American Pond Hockey Championships on Lake Minnetonka last month.
It's one of the strangest events on ice you'll ever see; a golf tournament on a frozen lake. Saturday marks the 31st annual Chilly Open on Lake Minnetonka. This year's theme is 'Gone Country,' so make sure to bring the cowboy hat and boots.
Two different vehicles broke through the ice on Lake Minnetonka Wednesday night. The Hennepin County Sheriff's office says the first vehicle -- an SUV with two teenage boys from Edina inside -- went through thin ice near the Gray's Bay channel in Wayzata Bay at about 5:40 p.m.
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office is warning everyone to be cautious if they plan to go out on the ice. Thanks to our warmer weather, ice on a number of lakes has thinned considerably.
A fun day on the ice turned tragic during a pond hockey tournament on Lake Minnetonka on Friday.
It's cold outside. But, that means ice fishing season is heating up! It's one of the most popular sports in the state, and many look forward to the time of year when the ice is thick enough for it.
Frigid temperatures didn't keep hundreds of people from jumping into a very cold Lake Minnetonka this morning as part of a New Year's Day tradition called the ALARC Ice Dive. More than 700 people took park in Thursday morning's dive.
Having moved to Minnesota from Florida, my scariest aquatic experience involved a water temperature below 80 degrees, until Tuesday. I put on a protective "mustang" suit, ready for a mock water rescue in icy Lake Minnetonka with the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office Water Patrol. Not yet at ice's edge, I was already panic stricken. I can't imagine this as my job.
The boating season has pretty much ended on Lake Minnetonka, but to one group of anglers what they did Friday will pay off next summer. They're with the Westonka Walleye Program, a private effort to improve walleye fishing close to home.
State officials say they've confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in a west metro lake connected to Lake Minnetonka, which has been infested with the invasive species for years.
The first ever organized wakesurfing competition on Lake Minnetonka is wrapping up, despite a set-back earlier this summer.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the presence of an invasive aquatic species in another metro lake. Staff from the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District discovered eight zebra mussels on Christmas Lake in Shorewood, which is just south of Lake Minnetonka.
Businesses and boaters around one of Minnesota's most popular lakes say it's time to salvage summer. All wake restrictions have now been lifted for Lake Minnetonka. Boaters have been forced to slow down since early June when severe storms raised the lake to record levels. They're glad to be back to normal.
It's very likely that Lake Minnetonka will have a few more boats out on the water before Labor Day as we head into the home stretch of summer. The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office said Monday that the "High Water Declaration" has ended on one of the most popular lakes in the Twin Cities.
For many boaters on Lake Minnetonka, full speed never felt so good. "Everybody hasn't been burning much fuel this year, but they're burning a lot of fuel today," said boater Steve Leighton. "All the boats are running wide open out there today, a there's a lot of waves."
After seven weeks of slow going on Lake Minnetonka, the emergency no-wake restrictions will end at midnight on Thursday. Last month's heavy rain sent the lake to a record high, but it's fallen nearly a foot since June 5, when the emergency high-water declaration went into effect.
It's a calm morning at Gray's Bay on Lake Minnetonka Thursday, but that will change when no-wake restrictions are lifted. Keyon Cooley, who fishes on the lake, drags his fishing boat to a public access point at Grey's Bay at least twice a week.
Authorities southwest of the Twin Cities say a teen Fleet Farm worker is in the hospital and a man is in custody following a stabbing Sunday.
Minnesota food shelves are feeling grateful for new funding.
Special counsel Jack Smith asked a federal judge to toss out the charges against President-elect Donald Trump in the case stemming from the 2020 election.
The NFL currently gives the Vikings a 98% probability of making the playoffs. So now the question becomes: is this team for real?
A woman shot in Rochester early Sunday was likely targeted, police said.
As many as 80 million people will hit the roads and skies this week, according to AAA.
Passion and purpose are what brings a group of volunteer dancers together every holiday season to spread joy throughout the Twin Cities to those who need it most.
One of the most successful computer games of all time is currently being developed by Apple as a forthcoming movie.
A group of young adults wants everyone, regardless of what suburb or rural area they live in, to know what it's really like to live in the heart of the city and to sometimes not have a place to live at all.
The accident happened just after 10:30 p.m. Saturday near Chicago Avenue and Ninth Street South.
A woman shot in Rochester early Sunday was likely targeted, police said.
A central Minnesota deputy assisting at the scene of a crash suffered serious injuries when another driver hit his parked squad car while he sat inside it, authorities said.
The shooting happened just before 7 p.m. Thursday near 10th Street Southeast and First Avenue Southeast.
Authorities recovered multiple guns and a "significant amount of ammunition" from the home of a man accused of threatening his neighbor over her sexual orientation, charges say.
Minnesota will once again be one of the top states in the country for voter turnout.
Authorities are urging a Wisconsin man accused of faking his death and fleeing to Europe to come home and spend the holidays with his wife and three children.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is grappling with a case affecting whether the swing state's nonpartisan top elections official can remain in her post despite not being reappointed and confirmed by the state Senate.
Documents say Steven Williams resigned from the Prescott, Wisconsin police force "in lieu of termination."
An attorney representing a conservative prosecutor struggled Monday to convince Wisconsin's liberal-leaning Supreme Court to reactivate the state's 175-year-old abortion ban.
Jennie-O turkey brand will display its float at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the fifth consecutive year.
A group of young adults wants everyone, regardless of what suburb or rural area they live in, to know what it's really like to live in the heart of the city and to sometimes not have a place to live at all.
Inside Catholic Charities St Paul Opportunity Center, local physicians, surgeons, and lawyers gathered on Sunday to support people experiencing homelessness.
A man is expected to survive after being shot during a possible drug deal in Minneapolis' Dinkytown neighborhood Thursday morning, police said.
A warm place to live may be taken for granted, but for a veteran taking over his family home, it's a gift.
Michael Fuller and Mahesh Mathew are finding purpose on Twin Cities running paths together.
Special counsel Jack Smith asked a federal judge to toss out the charges against President-elect Donald Trump in the case stemming from the 2020 election.
President Biden pardoned two turkeys, Peach and Blossom that hail from Minnesota, where they will return.
President-elect Donald Trump is making his final selections for who might join him in the White House as part of his cabinet in January.
Ken Martin, who has led Minnesota’s DFL Party for more than a decade, now has his sights on the Democratic National Committee following bruising electoral defeats this month.
Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth said that Pete Hegseth is "flat-out wrong" in his view that women should not serve in the military in combat roles.
The average price for a typical turkey is about $25 this year. That's 6% cheaper than last November.
"We literally walk in and dust off the jackets because they have been sitting for a while," she said.
Thieves capture radio signals from your key fob by using a device that grabs that fob's signal, even from long distances. That signal can be stored and re-used.
The price of housing in Minneapolis rose less over the last five years compared to other metro areas around the U.S.
The Wild also partnered with community food shelves to give out Turkeys this holiday season.
Authorities southwest of the Twin Cities say a teen Fleet Farm worker is in the hospital and a man is in custody following a stabbing Sunday.
A woman shot in Rochester early Sunday was likely targeted, police said.
A couple from Connecticut is charged with allegedly orchestrating a retail theft operation that may have cost Lululemon as much as $1 million.
The shooting happened on the 1500 block of Lake Street East just before 8:30 p.m.
When cyclist Anna Moriah "Mo" Wilson was murdered in Texas, U.S. Marshals assigned to the case used a unique tactic to track down her suspected killer in Costa Rica and bring the fugitive to justice.
Last year, Minnesota lawmakers passed new protections after a young woman testified about contamination in her community just before she died. Her sister is now carrying on the fight to protect other families.
The Minnesota Department of Health and the United States Department of Agriculture say they have confirmed a total of 15 cases of E. coli related illnesses in Minnesota.
PFAS are forever chemicals used in everyday items like nonstick pans, dental floss and food packaging that can build up in our bodies and harm our health.
A new Minnesota state law requires school districts or charter schools to adopt a policy on the use of cellphones in school by March of next year. But one nonprofit has gotten a jump start, working with students to help them find a balance between devices in and out of school.
The Mayo Clinic says surgeons there successfully performed a face transplant for a Michigan man who was severely injured from a self-inflicted gunshot wound 10 years ago.
One of the most successful computer games of all time is currently being developed by Apple as a forthcoming movie.
Chuck Woolery was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978.
English hyperpop artist Charli XCX will be coming to Minneapolis on April 26, 2025.
After almost a decade of "Disney on Ice" performances, a Minnesota native is eagerly anticipating his first show at the Xcel Energy Center.
Post Malone announced Tuesday that the "Big A** Stadium Tour" will come to U.S. Bank Stadium on May 20, 2025.
Meet a student athlete from Chisago Lakes with endless drive, despite a surprise diagnosis. Plus, Becker and Totino-Grace battled at U.S. Bank Stadium for the Class 4A championship.
The NFL currently gives the Vikings a 98% probability of making the playoffs. So now the question becomes: is this team for real?
Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic each scored two goals to help the LA Galaxy beat Minnesota United 6-2 to advance to the Western Conference finals.
Jaylen Brown scored the Celtics' first 15 points on five consecutive 3-pointers and finished with 29 points, before Boston withstood a late charge to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 107-105.
Sam Darnold threw for 90 of his 330 yards in overtime to set up Parker Romo's game-ending 29-yard field goal, and the Minnesota Vikings outlasted the Chicago Bears 30-27 after giving up 11 points in the final 22 seconds of regulation.
In this election, Klobuchar faired much better than all other Senate Democrats — she won by a significantly larger margin.
For Democrats the postmortem continues on why Vice President Kamala Harris and her Running mate Governor Tim Walz performed more poorly with almost every demographic than Joe Biden did in 2020. In Minnesota, Senator Amy Klobuchar did much better than Harris with some of those same groups.
As Election Day nears, experts say voters in Wisconsin and other battleground states will decide the 2024 presidential election winner.
As Election Day nears, experts say voters in Wisconsin and other battleground states will decide the 2024 presidential election winner.
As Election Day nears, experts say voters in Wisconsin and other battleground states will decide the 2024 presidential election winner.
There are a lot of quirky town names in Minnesota: Embarrass, Nowthen, Clontarff, Kiester. But the people of Nimrod believe their name stands out from the rest.
Did you know that donkeys are fast, smart and can build life-long bonds with other animals and people? It's believed that donkeys are smarter than most dogs.
The Fitzgerald Theater is the oldest active theater in St. Paul — but is it also haunted?
Wisconsin bars are known for their pints and their patrons. About the last thing you'd expect to discover in such a place would be 55 feet of historic American artwork.
Did you know Minnesota has a real castle? Miller Castle, near Nisswa.
This holiday season, you might pull out a Betty Crocker cookbook to find a tried and true recipe.
Krueger is the third-generation owner of Krueger's Christmas Tree Farm. While he finds joy in knowing the evergreens will make a family happy, they might not realize the effort it took to reach these towering heights.
As President-elect Donald Trump fills out his cabinet, there's one department for which he's yet to announce a leader. That could be because he promised it wouldn't exist after taking office.
The tiny sensory organs that cover our tongue allow us to detect five basic tastes: sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami — which is a savory, rich or meaty flavor.
Grabbing a TV for a steal-of-a-deal is a popular move during the holiday season. This year, industry experts are expecting shoppers to go big — like really big.
Regions Hospital and Children's Minnesota share photos of their tiniest patients dressed to the nines for Halloween.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Thursday night due to the arrival of a severe geomagnetic storm.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Monday night.
Storms ripped through parts of Minnesota and western Wisconsin on Thursday evening. There were several reports of tornadoes and trees were downed in the metro and beyond, including in Cottage Grove, Anoka, Champlin and Fridley.
A powerful thunderstorm tore through the grounds of the Minnesota State Fair on Monday night, delaying Tuesday's opening.
Temperatures will fall Monday and stay below average for the rest of the week.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
WCCO meteorologist Joseph Dames previews Minnesota's Thanksgiving forecast, which calls for colder temperatures and largely dry conditions.
Below average temperatures will persist for the next several days, with highs near 30 and lows in the teens.
Northern Minnesota will see snow Monday, but the Twin Cities will stay mostly dry as temperatures plummet.
Temperatures will fall Monday and stay below average for the rest of the week.
Minnesota food shelves are feeling grateful for new funding.
NFL insider Cody Benjamin talks about where the Minnesota Vikings stand as the late-season playoff push begins.
The two birds, Peach and Blossom, hail from Minnesota but are named after the Delaware state flower, the peach blossom, which symbolizes resilience.
Isaiah Allen, with College Possible, shares some tips for getting help with FAFSA, along with the Minnesota Dream Act application.