The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) warns that winter wonderlands are more perilous ponds owing to particularly warm temperatures. Thin ice, which spells danger for winter activities is a widespread issue this season.
An Edina city worker illustrated the severity of the situation in a social media video, testing the ice—or lack thereof—at Centennial Lakes Park, a popular skating spot.
"Most years, the ice would be thick enough by now for vehicles and wheelhouses, and we’d be seeing a steady procession of them heading north," lamented Beltrami County Sheriff Jason Riggs in comments to FOX 9. "But this year isn’t ‘most years,’ and the ice is changing constantly." He further advised those brave or foolhardy enough to venture out onto the ice to check its thickness often, watch the weather like a hawk, and always have an emergency plan up their sleeve.
Local authorities are urging extra precautions with tips such as wearing life jackets, carrying safety gear like ice picks and ropes, and never straying out alone. The DNR cautions that no ice can be considered one hundred percent safe. To that effect, parents have also been alerted to educate children about the dangers of going near icy waters without an adult present.
